everyone is worth saving
by coup fatal
Summary: What happens when the most unlikely pair becomes well likely? Warning: This does have some graphic nature to it. Mainly just torture and death. So please beware.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own or have legal rights over x-men or anything slightly associated with x-men sorry. Wish I did though; make my life a lot happier! Lol

**A/N: Okay I know I should be working on my other million stories but this one just popped into my head one day at work and I couldn't stop writing it out until it was finished. Also I have another story but I refuse to put that one up until all the other one's are finished. So I hope you enjoy this one and will review like always.**

**---Also this is pairing I have never done before so I know a few people out there love this pairing. If you have any ideas or think something's should be changed to help enhance the story it would be extremely helpful! Thank you.**

I braced myself against the long wooden banister. Tears threatening to rise and spill over my tired eyes as I clung helpless to the wooden staircase.

It's only been a few hours since I left that slaughterhouse. But I can still smell death as it lingers like a ghost on my skin. I can still feel the cold, rigid ness of the victim's limbs as we slowly moved each body from their own person hells. But what I hate the most is that I can almost hear their silent screams echoing throughout the hallways, like a whisper on the wind.

It follows each and every one of us like a dark secret that will never be told and will hopefully never be remembered. I've never been more horrified then I was during those long hours. It was supposed to be a simple mission. But I guess that's how all the bad ones start out, simple.

Scott and I were supposed to just infiltrate the medical facility, check it out and leave. Period, that's it. Nothing else. Be back by five, just in time for the Stars versus the Red Wings game.

But it took us only a moment to realize the once overly productive medical facility was now completely abandon. But what they left behind was something I will never forget.

Room after room, cell after cell, all filled with dead, mutant bodies. Women, men and yes-even children lined each of these death chambers. Every age, every race, every social standing. It didn't matter who you were or where you were from. The only connection these people had was the fact that they were mutants.

Immediately we called for back up. Bobby, Kitty, Hank and Pete answered our call for help. Bobby and Kitty would be coming by two large medical trucks. Hank and Pete would be arriving in our newest aircraft, the Black Hawk. Something he bought after Liberty Island, a smaller more versatile contraption that could carry up to four people for medical emergencies only.

It took them nearly thirty minutes to reach us on the out skirts of New York.

The rancid smell of decomposing flesh made my stomach churn and my eyes water as the putrid flesh continued to decay around us. Scott and I started then, the long and extensive search for any survivors. Both knowing the likely hood of finding one against the hundreds dead seemed a very thin hope.

"I just don't understand." I eventually had to say to Scott after fifteen minutes of silence.

"Who really would?" he responded as we discovered the basement that in actuality was a massive holding cell room.

Each black iron cell was tiny, holding up to maybe five people in each, all cramped and all presumed dead. Men, women and children clung helplessly to lifeless bodies of what we believed to be loved ones as death soon took them with no mercy.

"Oh God," I said to my self as I covered my mouth with a gloved hand as we turned on the bright overhead lights.

"Didn't you know?" Scott said to me eerily, "There is no God here."

I looked over at him and suddenly realized his hatred for this forsaken place. Remembering a time when Scott was locked away in a tiny cell as a child as Sinister did ungodly things to his small body. Knowing at this moment he was feeling the fear each child felt as they were left in the dark only able to listen to the sounds of the dying as death slowly took them from hell. A fear the mighty Cyclopes once felt himself years ago.

"Ah! There you are," came the sophisticated voice of Dr. Hank McCoy as he came down the metal staircase leading to the tiny holding cells, Pete close behind him carrying a few of Hank's medical supplies.

"Good, you are all here," Scott told Hank and Pete as the settled the bags onto the cement floor.

"Yes and Iceman and Shadowcat are at the moment checking the perimeter in case there was in fact any survivors. We believe that maybe a few might have escaped and are hopefully hiding just outside the fencing," Hank reported to us as he and Pete began to unload the medical supplies.

"What should we do first?" I asked Cyclopes as I looked about me, the sea of bodies seeming overwhelming at the time.

"Beast, you and Colossus will set up a medical facility here and will start checking the bodies and labeling them. That way when I have Shadowcat run the computers we will be able to find out who all these people are finally. Their families should know," Scott, said ominously as he used his laser beam eyes to open the first of the many cells.

We pulled out the first two bodies, identical twin males. The boys had silver-gray hair and brilliant blue eyes that lost their sparkle along with their lives days ago. However the next two victims were ten times worse than the boys. A mother clutching her dead child to her breast, both obvious mutants. The mother a purple skinned mutant, her son, purple haired with silver-gray hair and brilliant blue eyes. Just like the twin boys.

"Who do you suppose is the father?" I asked Hank curious about the lost lives before me.

"I won't know till I have taken blood samples of the four and run the DNA against one another," He told me as he checked over the young child, "However it is obvious how the child died even if his skin is purple. By the small fabric particles lodged in his throat, it is safe to assume that the mother suffocated him."

"And the mother?" I asked with inquisitive question.

"Blow to the back of her head," He said to me as he turned her over and showed me the bloody spot on the back of the woman's dark chocolate hair.

"I believe that one of the twins here, probably which ever one fathered her child. For this isn't a blow of hatred and rage like we will see with a few other patients as we move along. It is one of hesitance and quickness. If you see here," He said pointing again to the back of the head, "she was hit only once in the back of the head and the blow was fast and quick. She did not feel a thing."

I just stared at the tightly closed eyes of the woman before me, curious as to whom she was and might have been as Hank tagged and numbered her toe and wrote down a few quick notes of identification.

I turned back to my work as Hank set the small family aside and called up to Pete on the radio to pick them up and take them to the truck.

It was only an hour later when we heard the faint crackle of Hank's radio come to life. Bobby's rushed voice was heard as he called for help.

"Yes Iceman what is the problem?" Hank asked over the small hand held radio.

"Shadowcat has found…" his voice trailed off and we all stared at the radio in captivated silence.

"Iceman?" Hank called into the radio.

"Sorry Beast just trying to calm Shadowcat down, she's in hysterics. She found a mass grave," Bobby finished with the click of the radio. We continued to stare at Hank as we let the reality of what Bobby had just said sit in.

_More Bodies? Will this never end? Who would do this?_

These questions and more ran through our minds as Cyclopes reached over for the small two way radio.

"Start the unburial process, line them up so that when we get done down here we can tag them and load them up," Scott's leader-like voice rang despondently across the metal and cement walls.

It took us four hours to remove each body from the basement and the many rooms, tagging each one and photographing them for evidence. But it wasn't until we sent Pete to the morgue with the first load of bodies that we found him.

He had his own personally cell, well more like a cage. He was barely breathing but alive. His chest heaving heavily with each raspy gasps for air. His mutation we figured was the only thing keeping him alive all this time.

Scott and I had rushed to him in seconds. Scott opening the door at a run and me lurching it open with everything I had as we entered the tiny cell.

"HANK!" I screamed as I laid his fragile head upon my lap with delicate care. Tears streamed down my dirty cheeks, leaving thin trails behind as they fell upon his skeletal face.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," I murmured to myself as I rocked back and forth with his head in my lap.

Moments later Hank arrived and shoved Scott aside as he checked his vitals.

"Please let him make it," I prayed as Hank continued to check him somewhat unbelievable at what he was seeing.

"Rogue your going to have to help Cyclopes carry him to the Black Hawk," Hank said to me as he injected him with an IV, "he needs immediate attention. Cyclopes call Colossus and tell him to prep the Black Hawk and I'll page Storm and have her prep the medical lab."

"Colossus prep the Black Hawk we found a survivor," I heard Scott say into the small compact radio with a rushed heart rate at what this meant.

"Storm we found one please have the med lab ready for us in thirty minutes this patient will need our immediate attention," Hank's poised and controlled voice told her.

"Alright ready Rogue?" Hank asked as Cyclopes came over to me and bent down to help me lift the light body of the once masculine man.

We both heaved and lifted him easily and carefully carried him towards the small Black Hawk. Once we arrived above ground and finally got to see the rows and rows of dead bodies I felt myself go weak in the knees until I heard Scott's commanding voice.

"Do not look," he said in a voice only I could hear. I nodded in understanding and kept my focus on the small black jet before me.

Pete quickly relieved me of my burden as I loaded myself into the jet and helped pull the body up with me. Hank himself was already strapped in and ready to go as he quickly shut the hatch to the jet and took off with a lurch.

As we finally leveled off I held the saline solution and watched as his eyes slowly opened and closed in and out of delirium.

"It is alright your safe now," I whispered so only he could hear. But I am pretty sure Hank heard me and personally I didn't care.

When we arrived in the mansion the Professor and Ororo were stationed on the loading dock waiting our return. We landed much more smoothly than we took off and I was personally thankful for that. My stomach still in knots at the earlier scene I had witnessed.

"Professor," I said as we placed him carefully on the gurney.

"Was he the only survivor?" the Professor asked as we started to wheel the corpse-like body onto the lift that would take us up to the upper levels of the mansion.

"Unfortunately yes. I believe it'll be best to continue this discussion and our next plan of action after our patient is settled though," Hank said to Charles as if they where old friends. The Professor simply nodded as he watched us load onto the lift.

"But Charles, isn't that…" But before she could finish her question the Professor answered her.

"Yes Ororo I am afraid that Victor "Sabertooth" Creed is now a resident of the mansion," he clarified as the both re-entered the mansion.

"The Wolverine will not take this very well," Storm told Charles as they followed Hank and I into the medical lab.

"No I do not believe he will."

**A/N: Okay so a good first chapter? I hope so. I never do these types of pairings. So any ideas would be extremely helpful like I said earlier. I also hope this was long enough. So please review and tell me what you think. **


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own them

After I had left Victor in Hanks trusting hands and made my way up those treacherous wooden stairs, I found myself in his room. The night's events reopening all of his memories and dreams like it was only yesterday.

The rancid smell of liquid metal and brunt flesh filled my senses as if I had just come back from that eerie green hell. And if I stayed still just long enough I can feel the tiny little pin pricks of long sharp needles as they pierced my pale flesh, like tiny little spiders running up and down my arms and legs searching for their next meal.

Tears continued to slide down my still filthy cheeks. Unable to stop as memories from both Eric and Logan's past ran like movie reels behind my emerald green eyes.

I walked almost ethereal to Logan's connecting bathroom, the only remnants of him every even being here was a toothbrush long forgotten, sitting forlorn against the pristine white counter top.

I looked up then from the porcelain objects around me and into the large clear glass mirror. My features marred by dirt and grime and who knows what else, giving me the appearance of one of the dead I had just spent hours removing from their odium graves. My skin looked sunken in and hallow, the dirt making me looks starved and dieing. I turned then too afraid to continue looking at myself with such revulsion. My body moved as if it was all happening out of body towards the long, deep white bathtub. My long fingers danced across the matching porcelain tub with gentle ease until it found their destination upon the metallic and glass faucets.

My hands halted for a brief second on the feel of the metal underneath my dirty forest green gloves. With attentive care I slowly pulled them off my delicate hands letting them drop carelessly onto the cool tile floor below me.

I let my still soft and yet slightly still clean hands run once again, ungloved, across the metal and glass knobs. With a quick unnoticed turn of my wrist I let warm water pour like rain from the heavens into the large basin. Letting the steam rise and fill the room like a warm winter blanket. Sheltering me from the world's cruel and hateful ways.

I stood up carefully and unzipped my tight leather and green uniform with just as much delicacy as my gloves. The slow zipping sound reverberated off the tiled walls over the pounding of the water against the ceramic tub.

I tugged off my boots with all the effort I could exert. My body physically and emotionally exhausted from the scene I had witnessed only hours before. I gently lowered my tired and aching muscles into the steaming hot abyss I had created for myself. I winced at the sharp pain of the heat hitting my skin, turning it red and pink from the hot moisture. It was a hard contrast from the cold desolate water from both Eric and Logan's memories. Yet it soothed me still.

I sighed in relief as I let the tension leave my frame, allowing the soothing sensations of the water to do its medieval magic upon my body. I closed my eyes eventually, trying to stop the thoughts that raged behind them. A futile attempt if I had ever seen one, but I tried nevertheless. And as the minutes ticked slowly by and the water turned cold I finally left the uncontrollable sobs rack my frame.

I drew my knees to my chest burring my head into my drawn up knees, crying for all I was worth for the lives I couldn't save.

"Rogue?" The comforting female voice of my best friend Jubilee called out to me.

I ignored her as she stepped with caution into my warm cocoon. Tears still continued to flow like the Nile River down my now clean face. I saw out of the corner of my teary eyes Jubilee's bright yellow blazer as she knelt beside me.

"Oh Chica!" Jubilee clicked at me as she reached out to push some of my wet hair from my face.

"Come on girl lets get you out of here and into something warm, okay?" I didn't even nod or respond in any way as I felt towel covered hands gentle lift me out of the water below.

She wrapped the soft white towel around me as best she could without touching my deadly, poisonous skin. Silently she maneuvered me like a ward patient all the way back to my room. Setting me ever so gently on my green and black patterned bed. I still felt like everything around me was occurring through a television screen. Like I really wasn't here at all and just watching events unfold.

It took me a few minutes to realize that Jubilee had set down some warm clothes for me. My favorite gray sweat pants, one of my many long sleeved white cotton shirts with matching white kid gloves and socks. I touched them cautiously as if I had never before in my life felt cotton before. Stroking it as if it were a long lost pet. Without noise I leisurely and very carefully started to dress my self and as I did so I gradually came out of my innate state of shock.

"I'm sorry Jubes. It was all just…just," I stated to her unable to cry anymore for myself or for the many lives lost to the barbaric behaviors of others.

"It'll be alright you'll see," Jubilee cooed to me as she sat down next to me and once again pet my long wet hair.

"I am sorry Jubes, but I gotta go now," I said politely as I stood from my sitting position. Jubilee watched me slightly curious, silently knowing and yet never saying a word as I hurriedly left my bedroom and best friend.

I jogged down the many wood paneled hallways to the same wooden staircase I had used as support earlier. Taking two at a time I continued my half-jog-half-walk to the same lift that had delivered us to the med lab.

Entering the lift I pushed the small black button with the "ML" labeled on it. Listening to the ding and whirl of the pulleys and mechanisms starting, I was easily lowered to the lower levels of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Once the lift had stopped and opened it's large metallic doors, I walked hastily down the white walled hallway. My feet padding softly against the cool dark tile floor, my hair dripping small droplets of water behind me as it slowly dried into tiny curls.

Eventually I came to my destination, a large automatic sliding plastic and chrome door, the only thing standing in my way. I pressed the unusually large red entrance button and listened to the sound of air being released as the door quickly, without hesitation slid open to allow me access.

Entering the Med Lab as I had done only once before I peered inside with a bubbling curiosity. It has been nearly two years since I had come down here. The last time was to see Logan, just after our attack from the man that lay quietly on one of the many hospital beds.

"Rogue!" Hank called to me and I couldn't help but jump in surprise.

"Goodness Hank you gave me a fright! You know for a big blue hairy fellow you sure are good as sneaking up on people," I told him with a hand over my rapidly beating heart.

"I am so sorry my dear, it is a habit I think I will never break. But I am glad you are here, any news from the others?" He asked with a hope I was almost didn't want to dash.

"Not yet, I don't think we're going to find anyone else. Well anyone alive at least," I replied sadly as I looked over at the barely breathing form of one of my enemies.

"So how's public enemy number one doing Hank?" I asked hoping to lighten up the mood. Hank gave me a skeptical look but answered my question anyways.

"Ah yes, of course. Mr. Creed is still incredibly weak. Yet with his mutation working in overdrive plus with the IV's I have administered to him, I believe he should be up and running with in a week or two. If not sooner that is," Hank summarized for me.

I just nodded in understanding. My eyebrows knitted tightly together as I looked upon the man who tried to kill not only me but Logan as well.

"You know Rogue, sometimes it is okay to stop hating people. Especially when they need you the most. In the end you still come out as the better person for it and maybe you will find that not everything is what it seems," Hank told me as he left the room with just as much stealth as he had entered it.

I moved towards the long chrome and white medical bed. Hank's words filtering through me as I starred at the man in question. His golden hair, which was still missing large pieces, was still as soft looking as before. His once grizzly appearance was now, thanks in part to Hank I believe, clean and almost gentleman like. He looked years younger and almost tame, lying there peacefully as if in a deep slumber.

I stood there in that spot for a long while. Just watching the steady rise and fall of his even breathing. The beeping of the various machines creating a symphony I had never heard before.

I dragged one of Hanks metal stools towards the matching hospital bed. Perching myself upon it like a night guard, I continued my observations. However Victor's medical concerto soon lulled me into the land of dreams in which I hopped Victor would never come out of.

The sudden movement is what woke me from my fitful stay in dreamland. I jerked my still sleep filled head up from its uncomfortable position to find the source of the sudden movement. When my green eyes met that of the fierce black and gold ones belonging only to one Victor Creed, I knew my gentle sleeping survivor was awake, and not very happy at all.

"Victor," I whispered hoping the darkness in his eyes wasn't what it meant. Logan's eyes used to get like that when the Wolverine would take complete control. I dared not think of what Sabertooth would be like.

"Victor," I repeated once again, his head cocking to the side like a curious dog that had heard his name. I watched his every action, his every move as he shifted in his hard bed.

"Victor it's me-" but before I could finish his once extremely strong, yellow-clawed hand wrapped tightly around my exposed throat.

"Victor Stop!" I screamed, struggling under his grasp, trying to get away as my mutation did its damage.

Opening like a broken dam thoughts, emotions and memories assaulted my mind. Victor's strong physic ragged havoc and chaos inside with no heed to my astral warnings. Eventually I felt his hand drop limply onto the bed. My eyes shutting tightly as I tried to contain all of the new information I had just obtained. I could hear faintly in the distant the medical alarms screaming and wailing as darkness took hold of me and I found comfort on the sterile white tiled floor of the Med Lab.

Images after images past by as I stood helplessly on my astral plain, until eventually it all slowed down and I could see what was going on. I could see what really happened to all those innocents who died for no reason, for no purpose.

I stood there besides Victor, knowing I was simply a silent viewer, a ghost among the living. His body was bound and chained, just like he was when we discovered him. Except this time Victor wasn't near his corpse like self now. He was still strong and masculine, locked within the vicinity of his cage.

His long blonde hair hung limply in front of his feral features. His dark eyes barely visible in the dark, only the occasional animal like glint could be seen if one paid close enough attention. His clothes hung ragged on his slowly dying frame. Dirt covered him like a second skin, flecks of what I assumed was his own blood was slowly beginning to come off various parts of his body as it slowly dried.

The only noise that could be heard was Victor's slow, deep breathing. Making one feel as if you were in the presence of something far more dangerous than a chained man. But it wasn't what I saw that got to me, no, it was the eerie silence of the place. Not a noise could be heard except the heavy breathing and the occasional jingle of chains.

We sat there like that for what felt like eternity. Victor barely moving, his eyes trained to what I assumed was the door to his enclosure, as if he was waiting to pounce on his prey. I could almost feel his breath on me now, the feel of rancid decay covering me like deaths cold embrace.

Eventually the eerie silence was broken with the clinking of keys against metal as someone opened the door to Victor's small metal enclosure. I could feel Victor's restlessness behind me as the person or persons entered the dark abyss in which Victor lived.

"OH MY GOD!" I yelled out to no one, forgetting I was but a mere specter as the tall elegant woman entered the tiny holding cell.

Dressed just as she was when I first met her, I was left in pure white-shelled shock. Her vibrant red hair was pulled back into a tight bun. The stark white lab coat, a horrible contrast in the never-ending gloom, was all too familiar. A ghost among the living it seemed was the once majestic Jean Grey.

"Ah my pretty little pet it's been to long," she purred to him as she sauntered over to where he was chained to the floor. He backed away from her as she came closer.

"Now, now play nice. You don't want me to call your little boy in here now do you? You know how much he just loves playing with his daddy," Jean's fake sweet voice chimed demonically across the room. She reached out to touch him, a needle carefully hidden up her stark white lab coat.

"Victor, watch out!" I screamed out once again forgetting that in this moment I was non-existent.

Nevertheless Victor still jerked away from Doctor Grey's perfectly manicured hand. She attempted again to stick that long needle into his filth-covered skin. This time however she ended up six inches off the floor and a tight clawed hand around her pretty little throat.

"Tisk, tisk, that's no way to play fair. I guess we'll just have daddy's favorite come out and play with my pretty kitty," she choked out as Sabertooth's grip noticeably tightened.

It only took moments later before the sound of jingling keys echoed across the metal prison. Jean's pearly white teeth shown bright against the dark never ending gloom as a smile graced her features. A handsome tall, blonde, wide shouldered man entered the room only seconds after the jingle of keys were heard. Dressed ravenously in what I assumed was a very expensive Armani suite.

"Jeannie what have I said about you playing with the money?" his deep sophisticated voice rang out across the dark expanse.

"Sorry Graydon," Jean replied still hanging six inches off the floor.

"Put her down," the tall blonde, Graydon said to what I soon gathered to his father, Victor.

I looked from one to the other. Both powerful figures stared, unblinkingly at one another. I watched with held breath, wondering what would next occur.

However it was Jean Grey who broke the intense starring battle by telepathically sticking Victor with the sterile needle. It took only minutes for Victor's strong grip to loosen and his entire body to sag to the floor.

I felt myself fade again as the memory turned to black and I was once again having memories soar past my minds eye. Blurred visions of Victor's life rushed past me in a whirl of color until eventually it all slowed down and stopped altogether. This time I was taken to a scene I had never once before seen.

We were in a different room than before, but one I had become rather familiar with. It was one of the rooms that was used to do surgical work on the "patients." Victor was already strapped tightly down to the flat metallic operating table below him. He looked twice as thin as before, his breathing came out in shallow, ragged heaves. Blood splattered across his broad chest and face, making him look like a terrified dying bird.

I walked carefully towards him, my gloved hand held outward as I did so. Pity seemed to fill me until I reached his panicked figure. It was then that my pity turned to disgusted horror as bile filled my lungs at the sight before me. He lay there on that table, his stomach cut wide open like a fish at the market. Blood burbled and pooled out of the open wound like lava. Tongs held the flesh back, preventing his mutation to do its work as he slowly started to die.

His skin was chalk white instead of the golden brown tan he normally had. A cold, clammy sweat had broken out over his skeletal body. My eyes traveled from the velvet red abyss of his abdomen to his once sparkling cat-like eyes.

Those golden eyes, so like Logan's hazel once, were nowhere to be seen. Gold was no replaced by black ebony; so dark it chilled me to the bone.

Even though Creed and I have had our run-ins together over the last couple of years, no one deserved this barbaric torture, no one, not even this wide and untamed man before me. No one deserved to be treated like a lab rat and then slowly slaughtered like one. It was all just despicable.

I continued to look into those unblinking eyes having to check his still beating heart to remind myself that yes he was still alive. In an instant later the son of the once mighty Sabertooth, Graydon and the redheaded witch Jean Grey entered the room. A tall greenish-looking man followed close behind them. He wore a similar white lab coat to that of Jean, black rubber gloves pulled up to his elbows dripped with red blood. His black hair (what was left of it that is) was slicked back and he wore large round glasses, making his eyes appear like that of a beetle.

"How is everything proceeding Doctor" Graydon asked the green bugged eyed man.

"Slow, his body keeps rejecting every test. It is absolutely amazing really. It is as if his mutation can literally heal from anything. I mean I can slow it down some, but not enough to get the results we want," the man summarized.

"Have you tried using the other patients mutations against his?" Graydon questioned rubbing his smooth shaven face with his masculine hand.

"Unfortunately yes. I can think of nothing else, nor anyone who could take out Sabertooth's mutation," The Doctor said with a defeated voice.

"Take him back to his room," Graydon said as he exited the laboratory, Jean following close behind him like a lost puppy.

I watched the blood covered man as he removed his glasses rubbing in between them with his blood covered gloves. Smearing large red streaks across his face. He sighed as he placed those round glasses back upon his green slimly looking face.

He looked back at the door and with a shake of his head looked back at Victor's barely pulsating body. Walking towards Creed with a sort of dejection in his step as he released 'the tongs that held open Victor's stomach.

"I am sorry my dear friend," he told Victor softly as if one or the other were on their deathbed.

"I have done everything in my power to sabotage the program that they have running. But it seems I have finally reached my end," he paused then his eyes moving from Victor's golden ones to the bloody abyss below him as skin began to knit itself together.

"It seems my quite friend our time together has come to an unfortunate end. I have already alerted Xavier and his team, they should be here within the week," he stopped again, looking around as if the white and metal room could hear every word spoken. His eyes it seemed to land on me and at that moment I could see him clearly for the first time.

This man no more wanted to be here than Sabertooth did. His tired and weary eyes showed this in just a simple glance. He was no more a cynical doctor out to hear the agonizing screams of his patients as they lay dying on that metal table, than I was.

"They probably already know. But I've already figured it all out you see? It is not your mutation that will cure our race. No, it is a more powerful mutant, more powerful than Charles Xavier, the one who will the only creature to put you out of your misery. Yes, I've heard ramous about that one. Unfortunately placed in the wrong hand it won't just be you that will get a free ticket out of this hell, no, it'll be the entire mutant population."

At this point the good doctor removed the rest of the IV's and various cords. Then with a heavy sigh so low and long he began to methodically remove the straps that held the vicious Sabertooth down. With a simple click and clack, the straps fell away clinging up against the side of the metal hospital bed. Echoing like the towels of bell tower.

I looked between the two in fascination. Questioning their next steps, yet knowing the results already. Victor rose from his position on that hard, cold metal operating table like Frankenstein.

Creed moved with stiff, agonizing movements I didn't know he could posses in his masculine frame. Swinging himself off the bed, he slowly made his way to the unmoving green man. A throaty growl erupted from deep within Victor's chest as he approached the fearless doctor.

I felt my heart beat race as Creed stood like a sentinel over this meek and silent green man. The Doctor seemed to stand a little straighter and let out a held breathe, as he looked straight into Creed's coal black eyes.

"All I ever wanted to be in this pathetic world was a great surgeon. To help man kind and further genetics like the many men before me. But all I got was a thank you and goodbye from every research facility in this damn country. No one wants an obvious mutant as an employee. It was hard enough getting through medical school, let alone getting hired," he paused then tears building up behind those large spectacles.

"Then they hired me and for awhile I was so happy. I was finally living the dream I had pinned for, for the last ten or so years. It wasn't until I realized what they were truly doing that I started to hate this person I had allowed myself to become. Torture I promise you was never on my résumé," he told the behemoth creature before him.

"I am truly sorry my dear friend, truly," the green-skinned doctor finished as he continued to stare into those deathly onyx eyes.

Victor snarled showing his off-white canines, as he reached forward with his massive yellow-clawed right hand and grabbed a hold of the thin man's. Victor's strong gripped began to slowly tighten in a death like grip, almost to the point of collapsing the poor man's larynx. However he was still able to squeak out his last words to his grim reaper.

"God, please forgive me."

With a quick thrust of his left yellow-clawed hand, Victor ripped a large hole, about the size of the hole that was only moments ago in Victor's own chest, into that of the poor green-skinned doctor. The crunching of bones and the squishing noise of organs and blood being rearranged and moved about echoed, horrifically across the stark white laboratory. The white room however didn't stay white for long as the black haired man's blood pooled about and splattered as Victor let the limp body fall to the sterile ground with aloud thump.

Panic filled me as I watched this real life horror picture being enacted before me. My green eyes growing large and round as I held back the bile that had began to build in the back of my mouth. It was when Victor took a step back from his lifeless prey, his hand dripping with human meat and blood, that I allowed the scream I had been holding back to erupt from deep within me.

"Rogue!" Screamed Beast to me as I was pulled back from unconsciousness back into the reality I was more accustomed to.

I had fallen to the ground at some point during my trip to the astral plane; my body was shaking from the rush of memories. I looked around wildly trying to recover at least some of bearings. My skin once again felt cold and clammy as I stood from my fallen position. Beast, Storm, The Professor and Cyclops stood curiously before me.

I searched their compassionate eyes until I saw Victor's now sleeping form lying, peacefully on that hard metal bed. I cautiously made my way towards him, not wanting another incident like the one I had only minutes ago.

I was quite for a few seconds as I let my thumping heart settle and allow time for my erratic thoughts to clear up. As I began to speak, tears that I thought I had finally finished shedding, once again began to fall like rain.

"We saw her die," I said just above a whisper. So much anger and disbelief came out of those four little words that I left the entire room in complete confusion.

"Who are you talking about Rogue? Who did we see die?" Xavier asked me as he wheeled himself closer to where I was standing.

"Jean," I said in an exasperated voice, turning around quickly to look at him.

"What about Jean?" Scott asked moving to stand next to Xavier.

"Jean, it was all her and Graydon's doing. All those people, all those innocent people," I mumbled incoherently as I looked over my shoulder to the prone figure lying on that metal bed.

"Rogue dear, we do not understand what you are trying to tell us? Who is Graydon? And what was he and Jean doing?" Ororo asked placing a calming hand on Xavier's shoulder as she too joined the group.

"The…the mutants we found today, all those people, all those innocent people. They did it, that Graydon Creed and Jean Grey. The perfect cure to find the perfect mutant. Darwinism's survival of the fittest," I mumbled like a mad woman as I continued to look upon this poor creature before me.

"That is impossible. There is no way she could have survived something as traumatizing as that!" Hank countered. Trying, I suppose to protect the memory of the supposedly dead mutant Jean Grey.

"I agree with Hank, how could Jean survive something like that. She's only a class two mutant. She is not strong enough to even slightly protect herself from tens of thousands of gallons of water," Scott also commented as he looked angrily at me. Ororo also nodded her head in agreement of Scott's conclusion.

I turned then to face Victor again. To prove to them that there was truth to my words. Remembering when I had first joined the X-Men that I had accidentally absorbed Mystique during one of our many battles, I transformed myself into the replica of that of the lovely Ms. Jean Grey.

Bending down low to Victor's silent, calm form, I whispered just loud enough for the room to hear.

"Rise and shine my pretty kitty," I cooed to him in that fake sweet sultry voice only the real Jean Grey could reproduce.

Immediately the heart monitors connected to Victor began to rise off the charts as fear enveloped him. His large masculine hands gripped, just as hard as they were on the bugged-eyed doctors neck, onto the edge of the bed. Bending the metal slightly as the panic began to ascend within him.

"What is happening Hank?" the worried voice of Ororo asked as the machines began to beep radically. Her mocha hand gripped the back of Xavier's chair, expecting the worst of the situation.

"His heart rate is escalating at an extremely high rate. It is as if he is experiencing some sort of nightmare," Hank summarized for her as Victor slowly came down from his moment in unprepared hell.

"Now I wonder," said I, "why a man of Victor's background would be so scared of a little thing such as Jean's voice? I mean they've never had a one on one encounter during any battles or missions, not ever."

"She is right. I hate to agree with you Rogue, but Jean is the cause of this-," Xavier said with a wave of his hand, unable to finish the sentence.

"Your wrong," Scott said sternly looking at me through those rube quartz glasses.

"Scott I-,"

"No, Jean could never be responsible for the torture of another human being," Scott interrupted me with a shake of his brown head.

"Sometimes Scott, the people we love the most are the people capable of doing the worst things possible to the others around us. Trust me, I know," I said looking his straight into those red covered glasses. He didn't respond as he turned and left us standing in the med-lab.

"I feel so very unfortunate to say this. But it seems that the Jean Grey we knew is no more," Xavier said solemnly as we all looked upon Victor with deep pity.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know I know it's been way to long

**A/N: I know I know it's been way to long. Please forgive me. :) **

**Chapter 3: Discussion Group**

"She played us all for fools!" the normally silent and shy Katherine "Shadow Cat" Pryde yelled out in fury to the small group before her, I myself included was taken aback by her sudden out burst.

"Katherine?" Xavier spoke to her. In the simple saying of her name in a form of a even simpler question the entire groups questions were being asked.

"Here," she replied and handed him a very thick manila folder filled to the brim with hundreds of photos, documents, letters and information that held the key to this mystery we had been flung into. The answer to all of our questions in these last few horrible days lay peacefully in the palms of Professor Charles Xavier's delicate hands.

Charles cautiously laid the folder on his pristine large wood desk and looked at Kitty Pryde with more suspicion than hopefulness. She didn't say a word to him then, just crossed her thin muscular arms and waited for his reaction once he opened that folder.

Xavier took her stance as a hint and with the delicacy of any surgeon, opened the manila folder with a little more flourish than what I personally deemed necessary.

We all watched as his eyebrows knitted together in deep, unmoved concentration as he read each and every line that was either typed or hand written by various witnesses. It was when he reached the photographs that his knitted eyebrows moved apart and further up his baldhead with alarming rapidity.

"Are you certain, one hundred percent positive that all of this information is indeed of correct Ms. Pryde?" The Professor asked her his disbelief more than apparent.

"Would I bring it to you otherwise Professor?" she replied with as much sarcasm as I have ever witnessed her having. He sighed then knowing that indeed she was correct on her allegations. Well by correct on her allegations I mean confirming mine as well her own.

The rest of the group seemed unable to keep up with the little charade that the two were carefully putting on. But I however was more than aware of what was going on.

"Professor I don't understand. What has Kitty found?" Scott asked at the edge of his plush seat. All I could think at that precise moment was _oh Scott…you truly are blinded by your love for her._ But then again weren't we all?

"She had confirmed Rogue's accusations pertaining to the heinous acts in which our former Dr. Jean Grey has apparently been involved in," Xavier finalized just as quickly as the ax man's ax falls onto his victims neck.

"I don't- I just don't understand," was all he could say in reply as Scott leaned back into that plush chair of his.

"Don't you understand Mr. Summers? Dr. Grey thought this was all just some big game. Just a simply scam to bide off her time until she found an opportunity to fulfill her own misdeeds. I have witness statements and photographs dating her acquaintance with Graydon Creed to well past her speech in front of Congress nearly three years ago! She never truly sacrificed her self at Alkali Lake to save us; she did it to save herself! The Dam was damaged due to her own design; the plane being attacked by all those rockets was hers alone. I mean hello how do you think Striker knew the entire layout of the mansion and what day and what time you would be visiting Magneto? Or the fact that she insisted on going with Ms. Monroe to Boston to get Kurt. Even her engagement to you Mr. Summers was all just as big fraud. There was no Dr. Jean Grey only the woman she calls the Phoenix," said Kitty.

Everyone just sat in silent contemplation for a long while as the information that Kitty had just let out settled unmercifully on his or her minds with great consideration of what this might mean. The fact that one of the X-Men's very own had betrayed them was almost unparallel. Never in all their years at Xavier's had anyone of them expected something like this to happen. Not even Magneto himself would use his information about Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to his own design. But then again Eric Lehnsherr was not Dr. Jean Grey.

"It's amazing really," Dr. Hank "Beast" McCoy said from his own plush seat just feet away from Scott's.

"In what way is Jean being a psychopathic killer amazing?" Jubilee asked from the stool she had seated her self upon and a quick pop of her bright pink bubble gum.

"Well Ms. Lee I have found it that very few people can live a double life, if you may call it that, for more than a few weeks. Finding that Dr. Grey had in fact been doing this for more than a few years seems…well…to me…quit amazing," he concluded with a tip of his square spectacles. I sadly had to nod in agreement at Jean's feat. Not many can pull that off. I know only a hand full of people who are even slightly capable and most of them are by societies terms freaks of nature.

"But I have a question Hank," I finally said breaking my silent outlook of the whole spectacle.

"Yes Rogue?" he said as he turned his attention on me instead of the yellow clad wonder before him.

"How is it that some of the worlds greatest mutants to ever walk this Earth were not able to notice Jean's treachery?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. A look perfected by the Logan in me. Hank didn't seem to have an answer for this and seemed to just look from me on to the Professor, the Professor however didn't seem to be thrilled by my quick observation.

It was in this moment that my undying loyalty to the Professor seemed to waiver to the point of question. I do not believe that anyone in this room had ever even considered what I had asked. _How is it that Professor Charles Xavier the world most power telepathr was unable to detect a threat as volatile as that of Jean Grey?_

Yes, the question was a good one. One that lingered in the air far longer than it should as everyone waited for the answer Xavier would give on the matter. However all he seemed to do was look at me with contemplation. Yet as I said nothing more I almost felt as if he might never answer my question but stare at me with that look of sheer…questionability. 

"When I first meet Jean Grey," he finally began, "she was- uncontrollable. She allowed her emotions rule her, allowing her mutation to take full reign over her. And because of that her mutation grew rapidly to the point were it was slowly killing her. At this time her body like many others created a natural defense against her own mutation. In Jean's case her mind created the Phoenix a mutant whose powers were ruled only by its owner. A mutant who feed off the emotions of Jean and grew to the point that her parents finally decided to call Eric and I," he paused to take a breath and for a moment I felt sorry for my mentor for having to discuss with us the dark background of his most prized pupil.

"When we first arrived her parents were terrified of her. Jean was no longer holding the physic reigns over her own mind anymore. The Phoenix had taken over and Jean was perfectly fine with that. It took a very long time for me to break down the mental barriers that Phoenix had set up for herself. But once it was complete it was nothing but a small skirmish to place the Phoenix back into its rightful place. I placed her deep with in Jean's mind only allowing her out during our private sessions. Hoping that one day maybe Jean and the Phoenix would merge into a single being instead of two separate entities," he concluded touching the tips of his fingers together as he waited patiently for the responses of his children.

"Charles what have you done?" Ms. Monroe asked from her side of the room. She had slowly stood during his small synopsis of what had occurred during Jean's past. Her eyes were wide and full of disbelief and with a tinge of disappointment.

"Something that I will always truly regret," he replied solemnly.

" Who is this Graydon guy anyways?" Robert "Iceman" Drake asked on the small love seat next to me. He looked so much like a small replica of Scott Summer's that for a moment I couldn't help but smile.

"From what my research tells me," Kitty began as she started to fill in the gaps in the story line, "Graydon Creed is obviously the son of Victor Creed his mother unfortunately is that of Raven Darkholm or Mystique. As everyone already knows Mystique and Sabretooth are not the most pleasant people and when it comes to raising children one can only imagine. He spent most of his life in the care of one of Mystiques most trusted friend Irene Adler but most of you know her as Destiny. She is a mutant who can see into the future when people she knows starts to change the futures outline."

"Destiny was from what my witnesses state a very good guardian of Graydon. She kept him away from all the Brotherhood brouhaha and gave him a relatively normal life. However a witness of mine (a former brotherhood member) came to understand that Mystique had believed Graydon would accomplish great things once his own powers set in. I mean he is the offspring of two of the world's most villainous mutants. Nevertheless Graydon never received and sort of mutation. It is rare but children with two mutant parents might not gain any mutation at all. This upset Mystique to the point that many people actually stopped being around her. Even Magneto. She ended up deciding to leave Graydon with Destiny and to never have anything to do with her human son."

"As the years went on Graydon felt abandoned and angry with his mother for leaving him because he was normal. This grew into a hate for not only Mystique but also mutants everywhere. After he graduated from Princeton he did a complete one eighty. First he went back down to where Destiny was currently living in Louisiana and killed her. Apparently Mystique and her were lovers for more than a few years. After that he disappeared from the limelight that is until he meet Dr. Jean Grey that is."

"So he's the fucked experiment of what happens when you put to psychopaths together and great babies. Apparently you great even more psychopaths! So what does this guy want anyways? I mean if he hates mutants so much then why go into league with Jean?" John "Pyro" Allerdyce asked as he flicked and clicked open his handy lighter with practiced easy and familiarity.

"Simple," Kitty stated as she began to explain again, "Graydon mutated later in life. It's not uncommon either I mean Dr. McCoy didn't mutate until well into his late twenties. He has the power to locate mutants within a large radius. He can also sense what type of powers they have and what level their powers are on. Jean is an alpha level mutant who needed someone to let those powers lose. He gave the Phoenix everything she ever dreamed of. With her help they have carefully found and located hundreds and thousands of mutant across the globe. All to support whatever master plan they have up their sleeves."

"I still just don't get it. Why would Jean join someone like that? What purpose does she have in being with him? You said so your self Professor The Phoenix looks out for one person and one person only, herself. So what does working with Graydon offer that convinced the Phoenix to join him?" Scott asked.

"It's simple really," I finally say for I've known all along what the lustrous Dr. Jean Grey wants, "she wants power and she wants a lot of it. With Graydon's help Jean could very well be one of the most powerful mutants in the world. They've been experimenting on people to find out what gene creates only Alpha mutants. If they can find that gene or a gene close enough to harvest for themselves they could possible create a world filled only with pure breed alpha mutants."

"So they're creating like what? The an army of perfect mutants?" Jubilee asked with another pop of her pink bubble gum. I never responded to her question but smiled a knowing smirk and left it with that.

"But what about all of the other mutants on the planet who aren't alpha's?" John asked sneaking a look over a Jubilee. Jubilee had quickly stopped chewing her gum once the question was asked. Everyone in the room was of some high level on the mutant ladder, all except Jubilee that is. A class two at her best, she would be one of the first to go.

"It would be-," I paused at what I was about to say. Knowing the effect it would have on the happy disposition of one of my truest and best friends.

"It would be a mutant genocide," I finally spoke out. I watched closely as Jubilee's eyes went wide with fear at what that could mean for her. I then observed everyone else moving their own sets of eyes onto her as well. She didn't cry or say a word she just kept her eyes on the ground as we continued on with our discussion.

"Well if Jean is creating a perfect mutant army then we might as well try and figure out where she is. The sooner we find her the sooner we can put her plan out of business and can get back to help others instead of killing them," Bobby said as he himself stood up from the group. He motioned for Kitty to follow him who with out hesitation left with him in search of Jean.

At their departure John stood himself and walked over to the unusually silent Jubilee and escorted her from the room. Probably to console his partner in crime at what it might mean if we fail in finding Jean.

"Professor," said I as I myself left the confines of that now solemn room. It was their time now to figure out just exactly what we needed to do in order to stop Jean- no- not Jean, Jean doesn't exist anymore. We needed stop someone stronger, someone better than Jean. We needed to stop the Phoenix.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am so sorry about never updating on this story. But I have kind of been engrossed with my story **_**Before He Forgot Us**_** and have pretty much put everything on hold. Also, as I was reviewing the past chapters to kind of get a feel for where this story was suppose to originally go I realized all of the terrible spelling and grammatical errors. I guess I never went back over it like I should have and I want to apologizes for that and promise that I will rectify the situation as soon as possible. **

**A/N: A reminder before I let the story begin, this is my first story with this particular pairing I know that Victor is a more aggressive version of Logan. But I am not very familiar with the character in detail. I plan to make a two sided Victor Creed, one that Rogue sees alone and the one the rest of the world sees. So if you have any suggestions on how I can make him more Sabertoothish please let me know. Anyways, enough of my babbling here's the next chapter. A LOT of Rogue and Sabertooth interaction, so please enjoy. **

It's a beautiful summer day. Not as beautiful as the early afternoons in Mississippi where everything just feels fresh and new but a good second at the least. The sun is shinning and there's a nice breeze blowing about and I can't help but enjoy it on a laid out blanket on the back lawn. I will most defiantly have to remember to thank Storm the next time I see her if this is any of her doing. Because there hasn't been a day like this in God knows when.

I had intended to come out here and enjoy a simple nap but apparently I wasn't the only one with the same idea. I watched as Bobby and John tried to out do one another in a battle of fire and ice. I knew the outcome, John always won. That kid would die than lose any game. Kitty and Jubilee both sat not four feet away on a bench watching the spectacle. Both laughed in their girly ways as they commented on the boys showing off.

I remember when I would sit next to them and do the same. Except it was me instead of Kitty who was being wooed by Bobby's ice shielding skills against John's flame throwing ones. But that was a long time ago and I couldn't hate Bobby for breaking it off with me. It was bound to happen, a girl with untouchable skin can only expect so much in life.

He was with Kitty now, the girl that had waited for him like the Moesia. She deserved him and he deserved her. Their love was the innocent kind. But as I watch Pietro Rasputin sitting out by the pool painting from a distance I knew that there was a small kink in that new love. Not everyone knew but the metal man of few words was helplessly in love with Kitty Pryde, more so than anyone I had ever met or heard of. It was almost heart breaking to watch him as he painted from a distance.

As I was watching the metal giant I heard the familiar crackle of fireworks and my attention was redirected back towards the duel between the boys. John had won (obviously) and Jubilee, in all of her excitement, had let off a stream of fireworks in celebration.

Now, that was a relationship that could withstand the tests of time and the many hardships that had been laid in their paths. Even when that saucy Cajun had come up to visit Ororo from New Orleans and had set his eyes on the yellow clad Asian did they survive. Okay well they survived because John had lit him on fire the moment he came within a five foot radius of Jubilee but that is completely beside the point. The point is, they will fight together, love together and probably die together. And I love them even more for that.

"Ah, Rogue there you are," Dr. McCoy called out to me as he strolled through the grassy field towards me.

I lifted myself up off of my elbows and slowly began to stand to greet him.

"Hi Hank," I said with a smile as he came towards me.

"I just thought I would inform you that the patient has woken up and is in a good enough condition to see visitors now if you would like to," he said to me.

"Hank, I don't think that would be the greatest idea. I mean the man was part of an evil plot to have me kidnapped and killed," I said pointedly. He apparently hadn't heard a word I had been saying because he just smiled at me. A knowing smile that screamed _I know something you don't._

"Rogue, sometimes we must let bygones' be bygones' and except the fact that everyone is worth a moment of pardon. Especially, if one of our known inhabitants had been the main factor in his deliberate torture for over a year. It is not only in the best interest of the school but in the best interest of each person within its walls to pull back their animosity and forgive and forget. Just on this one occasion of course," Hank explained to me and I hated hearing the truth within his words.

I wanted to hate the man who had nearly cost me my life, but I knew Hank was right. After rescuing him and seeing all of the terrible things that he had seen I had finally seen the human in Victor Creed. With a heavy sigh and a small evil look towards Hank I folded up my grass covered blanket and handed it to Hank.

"I don't want to hear another word about it," I said to him as he took the blanket from my arm as I went in search of Sabertooth.

I did the most logical thing at first; I checked the med-lab, forgetting to ask Hank exactly where the newest temporary resident would actually be. After doing a quick look around, I noticed he had vacated the med-lab. At first warning signals went off in my brain as if a hurricane was about to come. Allowing a mad man like Victor Creed authority to walk around a school full of children was near suicide I don't care what he has been through.

I immediately did a 180 and headed towards Xavier's office hoping that nothing terrible had come to pass yet. As I stormed up the lift and down the main entry way I slowly became aware that no one, besides myself, was in a panic over the fact that a tortured mad man was on the lose within the school.

_Come in Rogue_ Xavier's mental message went out to me as I was about to enter his office. My hand froze over the door handle; I don't think I can ever get used to that.

_Not many do_ he chuckled at me within my head.

"Quit it," I grumbled out loud as I entered the large and spacious office of Charles Xavier.

"Awe, Rogue so good for you to join us. I was hoping Hank would have directed you more towards our current location. But I guess every man has their moments," Xavier stated to me as I made my way into the center of the room. When I was closer towards Xavier's desk I noticed the man I had been searching for sitting in one of Xavier's large maroon chairs.

"Rogue I believe you know Victor Creed," The Professor said formally as I starred directly at one the men responsible for my kidnapping.

"Unfortunately," I said in a low whisper as I crossed my arms over my chest. Victor hadn't moved a muscle, he didn't smile or frown at my response to Xavier's introduction, he just sat there, starring at me.

"Mr. Creed and I have been discussing a lot of things in the last hour or so. He has graciously accepted my offer of having him stay at the school until he has time to recuperate from his ordeal," Charles said to me with a smile. I almost turned blanched at that.

I looked at Victor again trying to assess him, trying to understand why everyone was so earnest in having me like him. He wore comfortable fitting jeans, still a little to loose because of being under feed but his mutation was working on that. He wore, surprisingly like Logan, layers of flannel shirts over his once broad chest. His hair was cropped short and brushed back; it looked more of the manner in which Scott wore his. He was still clean shaven and his eyes were that light brown-hazel color that was so familiar. If I hadn't known him before I would probably say he was handsome, in a feral kind of way.

"Would you like for me to get Ororo so that she can do her usual introduction of the school?" I asked but I had a deep feeling that this was all some sort of set up. A plan devised for me to try and get over my animosity towards the feral man.

"No," he said and I silent whispered to myself that I knew it all along, "as you have already guessed I am sure, I would prefer it if you took over for Storm on the introduction front."

"Fine," I replied coolly, knowing that I really had no choice in the matter. Xavier's orders were never questioned in front of a new occupant of the school. But he and I both knew that we would be discussing my new assignment in great detail as soon as our new visitor was settled in.

"Thank you Rogue, now Mr. Creed if you would, Rogue will show you around the school and to your new quarters throughout the duration of your stay at the mansion with us," Charles told Victor with a comforting smile.

When Victor stood up from his chair I was immediately reminded of that night on the Statue of Liberty all over again. I remember him towering over me as I was loaded up onto the machine. His grip had been tight on my upper arm, and if Logan hadn't used his mutation to save me, he would have left a nasty bruise on my drained corpse.

I held back a gulp as I led Victor out of the room towards the staircase leading up to the adult wing of the school. Creed said nothing as we began to walk up the stairs and down the various hallways towards his new living quarters.

"You will be staying in the adult section of the school. The student section is around the corner and down to the left. We are starting to make room on the third floor of the building for more students once the new school year starts come August," I explained as we began to come closer to his room.

"Classes are held Monday through Friday from eight am until three pm with an hour lunch at noon. This of course includes the basic high school courses that each student needs to achieve for their high school diploma and self defense courses designed by the staff to help students learn how to grow and develop their mutations properly." I continued on.

"Breakfast is served between five am and ten am every morning and dinner is served at seven o'clock after danger room sessions are complete. We try to make sure every occupant attends meals and danger room sessions to help form a better bond between us. Of course there are exceptions i.e. school work, sickness, and school functions and of course the usual X-Men stuff," I told him in a monochromatic sort of way.

I looked over at him to see how my summed up speech had affected him. He was silent as I have come to understand, in the short period that I have truly known Victor Creed, was a normal thing for him. I stayed silent myself for awhile as I thought of what to say next. The awkward silence was almost too bearable for me to stand.

"I am not going to apologize to you," he said all of a sudden that I was taken back just a little.

"What?" I asked confused. I had stopped walking at that point, baffled by his sudden desire to speak to me.

"I don't plan on apologizing for what happened at the Statue," he said again. _Oh so this is what he thinks this is about_ I thought to myself.

"I never expected you too," I replied truthfully still starring at him.

"Good," He responded and began to walk again. I did the same not saying anything else until we were almost standing in front of his door.

He stopped again almost three doors away from his own. He had turned and took a deep breath as if to smell the air. A small growl erupted deep within his still to weak chest. It came out more like a purr than a fierce growl. I was once again left confused at his behavior. Unsure as to why he decided to just suddenly stop and smell the door leading to some room. It didn't take long before I realized that the room was of course Logan's when he was in town, that is.

"Now I remember, your that runt's pet right?" he asked me as he turned to face me. A near evil smile caressed his somewhat dark features.

"If you mean Logan, no I am not. Logan hasn't been here in nearly a year now. He left right after we believed Jean Grey died," I said to him a little more bluntly than I had intended. I watched him cringe at her name but said nothing about it.

"Then why does his room smell more like you than him?" He asked me with a sharp gaze. He apparently had forgotten my earlier mention of Dr. Grey.

"I go in there to be alone sometimes. You know when I don't want to be found," I replied smoothly as if yes, that was the real reason why I was in that room so often.

"You're a terrible liar," he said before picking up his feet and moving again.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I jogged a little to catch up with his long strides.

"You heard me frail," he said as he stood in front of his door. I raised an eyebrow at the nickname he had chosen.

"You don't know anything about it," I said as I finally caught up to him. I was standing only inches from him. Both of us standing close together in his un-open doorway.

"Actually I know a lot about it. A person's smell and reaction to things can tell you more than any words they could ever speak," he said with such a wisdom I didn't know he had. I was slightly taken aback by that.

"When you lie I can smell it all over you. Your reaction to my accusation just sealed my assumption," he said to me smoothly. Again I was taken aback. I had known that once, after Logan had touched me last and I had absorbed him. But I hadn't thought of it until just now.

"You love him," he said to me more as a statement than a question.

"That hasn't got anything-" I had started but he interrupted me.

"He doesn't love you back," he said. I eyed him in confusion at his sudden need to clarify mine and Logan's relationship together. He was right of course, but that doesn't mean he can ruin my hopeful bubble. I mean a girl can dream can't she?

"If he really loved you," He continued, "you wouldn't be here right now while he is out there. A feral, especially a dominate one, does not under any circumstances, leave his mate behind," he said to me as he leaned down real close to me. His eyes moved from my eyes to my lips.

I could feel his warm breath wash over my face and shoulders. It left Goosebumps on my arms.

"And what," I said trying to break the trance he had placed over me, "makes you think I was ever Logan's mate?"

He looked up from my lips then and back up to my eyes. His had turned an almost amber color which held a dark promise behind them that nearly made me shudders.

"Nothing," he said as he took another step closer to me, "I was just trying to see if my accusation would seal my assumption."

I took a step back at that. I remembered that this is Sabertooth standing in front of me and this was all just some mind game he was probably playing with me. He was trying to deliberately make me question my trust in Logan, my love for him as well.

"I will be back at seven to pick you up for dinner and then I will show you the rest of the school," I said as I began to move back away from him. He said nothing as his usual as he watched me leave him at his door. I couldn't help but think how I would ever be able to get rid of those Goosebumps before dinner at seven.

**A/N: So good? I was going to go for a more I hate Victor, I love Logan kind of Rogue but decided that I would just skip all of the formalities and just get down to the Victor and Rogue love. :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews. They inspire me. Also, don't forget that if you have any Sabertooth suggestions please let me know. Not many people write about him and from the marvel biographies I've read he's just plain mean and doesn't have any true personality. But that isn't what I am going for here so I am starting to guess that I am going to just have to wing it. Anyways, here's the story.**

Professor Charles Xavier has been my mentor and father figure for more than a few years now. I trust nearly every decision and command that he makes. But this one was beyond my understanding.

Victor Creed is a mean man. He was one of the main co-conspirators in my kidnapping and near death. I understand that he doesn't have a true tie to Magneto and that he was probably only doing to for the money, but this is my life we are talking about here. The life he almost let go.

So here I am marching down halls and stairs back towards Xavier's office to confront him on the matter at hand. I want to confront him and tell him that I can't do this; I can't be Victor Creed's personal tour guide for however long he'll be staying here with us. No matter what the situation called for.

But then as my mind drifts back to what he had said to me in front of his door. The shivers return and so do the Goosebumps. His face had been so full of passion, a passion I had never, even when I had dated Bobby, felt before. It was unnerving to say the least.

I slowed my pace at that. My mind was becoming rational again. Creed had just spent at least a year locked in a tiny cell chained to a floor. He was tortured and had been malnourished. He almost died.

Damn rationality.

I stopped walking and went and sat on one of the hallway chairs in the main foyer. I had to think this over. I had to reason with myself as an adult on this one. Because I had finally entered a murky territory I had never been in before.

Do I let bygones be bygones like Hank suggested and allow the hostility I have for him be forgotten and be the preverbal bigger person?

Or do I have the right to have said enmity towards him?

I was very confused to say the least. My morals screamed at me to do the former, but my heart screeched for retribution. I stood back up again and walked towards Charles' office again. He would know he should know what I should do since he placed me on this assignment.

_Come in Rogue_ he said even before I got close to his door. I didn't even hesitate as I opened it and walked in.

Scott was there. He looked tired, very tired. Almost like he couldn't sleep because of the nightmares, like his heart had been ripped right out of his body. He looked exactly how he looked right after Jean had died. I sighed as I went and crouched down next to him.

"Hey Scott," I said almost forgetting why I was there in the first place.

Scott and I had become very close after Jean's death and Logan's departure. We had both lost someone that day. Jean to her dark watery abyss and Logan had forever been lost to the memory of Jean.

"Hey," he replied with what I assume was all the effort he could muster.

We sat there in silence for what felt like forever. I looked from Scott to the Professor, I knew that our conversation would have to be postponed again as I refocused my attention to Scott.

"Let's go for a walk," I suggested as I held out my gloved hand. He looked up from his spot on the floor to my face. I could see the gratitude in the lines of his countenance. I didn't need to see his eyes to feel it in the sigh that he let out as he took my hand. I wasn't taken aback that he had touched me, since Logan had left Scott had been the only one who dared lay a finger on me for longer than a minute.

As we left The Professor's office Scott took my hand and wrapped it around his arm. He was always the gentleman even when his world was falling apart. We went outside, through Ororo's garden and then to an old dirt path that led deep into the woods. We didn't say a word as we congressed the distance. I knew exactly where we were going.

We had found each other over a year ago there. He was sitting on this old rock that protruded from the ground in a small clearing. He had been bent over, his glasses in his hands; his eyes were closed as he looked up into the sky. It had been late; everyone had already been asleep when I wondered out there. In the moonlight I could see the rivers of his tears as the fell carelessly down his strong face.

I had never seen Scott so vulnerable. I don't think anyone had.

Just to sum it up we became instant friends in that moment as we cried together for the ones that we lost. We are each other's confidants; we are each other's shoulder's to cry on when the going gets to be too tough.

So here we are again. Sitting on the same rock we sat on going on two years now, discussing the same people we were crying over. I think it's very poetic.

"I can't…" he begins, yet doesn't finish.

"Can't believe that she's alive and doesn't want anything to do with you?" I asked knowing the feeling.

"Yeah, that's part of it," he says with a sigh.

"It'll hurt," I say, "but you're strong and you'll move on. Not entirely, but it won't hurt as bad as it use to."

He just shrugs.

"The total body count is 237," he tells me out of the blue.

"Wow."

"Bobby and Kitty are going to contact the families soon. Charles wants to make a huge grave site in honor for them," he continues to tell me.

"I understand why. We won't be able to find all of their families and if we do most won't have anything to do with them," I respond with a sad tone.

"Yeah."

We're quite again. Both of us are just looking out into the quite forest questioning humanity and destiny. This world is just too cruel.

"I heard you're playing tour guide with Creed," he says to me trying to lighten up the mood. I snort before responding.

"More like animal keeper at the local zoo."

"He can't be all bad Rogue, nobody is," he says and I remember, Jean wasn't always that bad either. She was really nice there for awhile.

"I guess, but he did try to kill me."

"But then Jean tried to kill him." Damn him for being right.

"Give him a chance Rogue."

"I hate you," I say not really meaning it as I stretch out on the rock.

"If he does anything to upset you or does anything against your moral compass I'll blast him into next Tuesday," he says to me with that confident smile I love so much. He'll be alright, I am pretty sure of it now.

"Promise?" I ask him as I give him the most evil grin I can muster.

"Of course I promise," he tells me in mock hurt. I get a momentary flash back of Logan and me as we sat on the train. We had said those same words to each other and neither of us had kept their word.

We laughed together for awhile and talked about unimportant things until I begin to notice that the sun was starting to set. I don't think Xavier and I will be having that talk tonight, I doubt we ever will. Scott's right, I should give him the chance he never gave me. It's what the X-Men are all about, second chances, allowing you the time to right the wrong.

We walked back in silence, hands in our pockets. We said our goodbyes at the back entrance on the other side of Ororo's garden. He went to go make sure that Hank came out of his cave in the lab and I went up to Victor's new room.

I dragged my shoes against the slowly wearing carpet; I really didn't want to spend another few hours with Victor. I know I am supposed to be doing something honorable by doing this but I really can't seem to wrap my head around the idea.

At his door I couldn't hear a thing in his room. It was near silent when I knocked. For a moment I thought maybe something had happened, a setback maybe and he tried to off himself. Then I remember who I was thinking about, Victor Creed would never off himself. He was the type of man who would die in a ferocious battle against unbeatable odds. Or maybe if he was lucky enough, he will die a quite death out in the woods surrounded by nature at a very old age. Who knew?

I knocked again and still no answer.

I am really starting to believe that my assessment of him was inaccurate and he really did off himself. I could feel my heart panic at that, I don't know why, but it did.

I knocked again, still no answer.

I reached for the brass door knob and began to turn it abruptly hoping it was unlocked. To my astonished luck it was.

His room was dark, the curtains were drawn up tight and no lamp or light from the bathroom was on. I noticed clothes littered the floor and a towel hung carelessly on the back of the desk chair in the room. My eyes scanned the dark room in search of Sabertooth.

"Victor," I whispered from across the room hoping he was still in the bathroom and hadn't heard my knock.

No response could be heard. I edged closer into the room, almost too the large king size bed that took up most of the space in the area.

"Victor," I called out a little bit more forcibly than I had before. This time I heard a grunt and saw some movement from the bed.

I inched over to it, not wanting to wake him. We didn't need another coma episode especially with us in his bedroom; I've already done that before.

"Victor," I said with a raised voice and a shake of his foot.

"Quit it woman, I am sleeping," he said with another grunt from his place on the bed.

"Dinner is in fifteen minutes, now get your furry butt up and let's go," I said without remorse as I shook his leg this time.

I hadn't been expecting it, if I had I think I might have been more prepared. Victor reared up from his bed; his torso was shirtless as he grabbed the arm that was shaking his leg. He had an agitated look about him as he lifted me up and over his body plopping me down next to him. He took his now strong arm and wrapped it tightly against my waist. He did it all in one quick move. I didn't even have time to register the action before it was already said and done.

"Shut it frail and let me fucking sleep," he grumbled out as he held me to his chest.

I laid there in terror as the only thing protecting Victor from me was my hair. I was in shock at the fact that he even dared to touch me after what I did to him just a few days earlier. Hell, I was in shock that he even wanted to touch me.

"Quit squirmin' I ain't going hurt ya," he said as he loosened his grip on me just a fraction.

"Trust me Victor I am not in any way scared that you will hurt me," I responded as I tried my very best to stay as still as possible.

"You sure as hell don't smell like it," he retorted as he moved his head to a more comfortable position.

"I am more scared for you than for me," I said truthfully. He opened his eyes on that one.

"What?" he said in confusion.

"Have you completely forgotten why that leader of yours kidnapped me?" I asked him as I tried to wiggle a little further away from him.

"Oh."

"Yeah," I replied as he let me go and I all but ran to the other side of the bed.

"I am not that big on being touched."

"Why?" He asked me and the truth of it made me want to laugh.

"For obvious reasons of course, me touching you hurts me just as much," I replied.

He didn't say anything as he looked at me and I don't mean that pitiful stare that people give you when they find out that your life really does suck. I am talking about that look of where that person is just pealing every layer of your skin off and looking at it for the first time. It was like Victor Creed finally saw me for the first time.

He grunted again and made to sit up. The sheets fell down his broad chest and pooled around his hips. It was then that I realized he wasn't wearing anything underneath that sheet. And for the life of me all I could do was stand there and gawk like an idiot.

"See something you like frail?" he asked me with a chuckle.

"Nothin' I haven't seen before," I said as I finally broke out of my trance and moved around the bed.

"Right," he replied as he watched me.

I didn't look over at him again as I made my way to the door. Without turning to face him I spoke to him again.

"I'll wait outside for you to get dressed. You have five minutes," I said as I opened the door and waited patiently on the other side.

"Hey Rogue," Jubilee said as I shut the door behind me.

"Hey Jubes," I replied with a smile.

"Where's public enemy number one?" she asked peering behind me.

"Getting changed, he fell asleep. I just woke him up," I explained to her. Why I thought I needed to explain to her was beyond me.

"Alright, Scott just sent me up here looking for you. I'll see you at dinner then," she said with a loud pop of her bright pink bubble gum as she turned on step and began to walk back down the hallway.

"Who's the highlighter?" I heard Victor ask from behind me. I didn't even hear him open the door.

"Don't call her that," I said in defense of my best friend, "her name is Jubilee."

"Oh, she's that fireworks girl right?" He asked me as we began to make our own way down the hallway.

"Yeah."

"How many people go to this school anyways?" He asked me as we rounded a corner.

"Goodness I don't know about thirty-something," I responded as he walked next to me. I tried to keep my concentration on the floor.

"What ages?" he asked me as we started down the stairs.

"All different kinds, I think Jamie and Lorna are the youngest at seven and nine, of course The Professor is the oldest. But for the most part everyone here is either in their early teens or older. Nevertheless it seems that each year they seem to be just getting younger and younger. We find foster parents for the youngest of course. People that we trust that have gone to the school or works closely with us," I explained.

"Hum," he said waiting for me to continue I suppose.

"Emma Frost runs our sister school on the west coast. She deals more with the elementary students. So for the most part we send them to her and then when they move up to high school level she sends them back to us so that they can practice more on their mutations and not just on school," I further explained.

"White Queen?" Victor said looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a confused look.

"Yeah, you know her?" I asked him as we finally reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Damn telepath," was all he said as we entered the noise filled dining hall.

The room seemed to go unnaturally quite as we entered and headed over to a table that wasn't nearly as filled at the rest. The only occupant there was Scott who seemed to picking at his plate with disinterest.

"Scott," I said as we sat down next to him.

"Rogue, Victor," Scott said politely as he went back to picking at his plate.

"If you keep doing that you won't be able to eat it," I told him as we both ordered our own food from the cafeteria staff.

"Who said I wanted to eat it?" he asked me as he stabbed whatever meat he had ordered. At this point it was pretty much unrecognizable.

"Scott, you have to eat something," I told him. He didn't say anything; he just continued to poke at his food.

"Fine, don't eat. But if you keep this up, for more than a few more days, then I will personally see to it that Hank has a feeding tube shoved down your pretty little throat by supper time," I told him with a sadistic grin.

"Somehow I doubt she's joking," I heard Victor say next to me as our food was placed in front of us.

"She never jokes," Scott replied as he began to nibble on some bread.

"Joking is just an over rated assumption of fact," I said with a huff as I ate some salad.

Neither said anything in response as we continued to eat in silence. The noise volume in the room eventually went back up to its normal levels. The happy chatter of children seemed to fill in the silence at our table.

"So Scott," I began trying to break the inaudible silence, "when do you think I can get Victor here into some of the Sims in the DR?"

"Today if you want," he began still not looking up from his plate, "Xavier has postponed all X-Man training in the evenings until we can get the Lab mess sorted out."

"Good," I replied as I looked over at Victor, "you need to get back into shape. We can't let word get out that you can't kick ass."

"Frail I can still kick ass," he said to me as we took a bite out of his pasta. I never thought I would see Victor Creed eating pasta, a big hearty steak yes, but pasta and salad? Never.

"We will just have to see about that," I said back as I took another bite of salad. He just grunted at me.

I could see Scott's eyes on me. He was watching the small banter between Victor and me with a close eye.

"So after dinner then?" I asked Victor as I moved onto to my own pasta.

"After dinner."

"Perfect," I replied and new it was going to be a very interesting encounter.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank ya'll so much for all the wonderful reviews. I have gotten so many, so quickly. It helps me push forward with my work. Also, thank you WandaW for the wonderful and insight full review. I do hope I can get some of that information from you. Anyways, enough with all of my babbling. **

I could hear him in the dark, lurking behind me in the shadows. I knew he was there; I could almost make out those shinning yellow-green eyes in the darkness. I held my laser gun tighter to my chest as I moved around the corner hoping to find a better view to take the shot.

"And here I thought the mighty Wolverine had trained you better than this Frail," Victor called out from the darkness with an almost evil laugh.

I crouched low against one of the many brick walls that surrounded the area that I had created for us. I could feel the sweat drip down my back in-between my shoulder blades underneath the thick leather suite I wore. We had been here for nearly two hours now. And I knew that about forty minutes into this that he was just playing around with me. He was stalking me like prey long before I even knew he was.

"You're going to slow frail," he said just above a whisper from behind my back. Sweat dripped down the side of my face from the exertion I was putting forth.

"Well I really haven't had nearly a hundred years to hone my skills Sabertooth," I said between clenched teeth as I twirled around and out of his reach.

He was quicker than I was. That surprised me seeing as how he was about two hundred pounds of pure muscle. He had me back up against the wall in just a matter of minutes. A smile graced his still clean shaven appearance.

"How do you know I've been alive that long? For all you know I could only be forty or maybe even three hundred years old," he said with that toothy smile as he tried to push me back further into a corner. He was trying to distract me, playing with me like a cat does with a mouse. I really hated being a mouse.

"Oh, I thought you knew?" I said hoping the information I knew from absorbing him would set him off enough to give me a chance at him. The man was good, almost too good.

"Know what frail?" he responded like I had hoped yet he didn't seem to falter in step. He was completely, one hundred percent concentrated on me. His eyes moved from my own down towards my lips as heavy pants escaped them.

"You touched me during your recovery. If I wanted to I could know every single dark secret about you. It's all right here," I said to him tapping my temple as I said so.

"Everything?" he asked me with a mock of disbelief. His eyes never left my lips and I could feel his hot breath as it cascaded down the side of my face and tickled my neck. It brought those shivers I had only a few hours ago back.

"I know that you grew up in Canada," I begin to tell him only slightly distracted by the hungry look he was giving me, " You lived on a large plantation. You father was the grounds keeper for the family, The Howletts? Yes that was their name. I know that your mother died very young, you were only five when the influenza hit her," I paused and took in his reaction.

He didn't say or do anything. But I could tell I was getting to him. His lip was curling slight to the left. A large pale white fang showed dangerously over his lip. But he just seemed to ignore me as his head lowered closer towards my neck. I began to panic slightly at the closeness we were currently sharing.

"You look just like her you know," I continued on. I knew he missed his mother; it was a low blow on my part. But the small space between us, which seemed to be nonexistent at this point, had me on panic mode.

"I know that you have a brother," I spoke the finale words like a gunshot to the heart. He stood up then and just stared at me with this look. You know the look that says you just went too far and crossed a line that was never supposed to be crossed. Not by you or by anyone for that matter. Yeah that was the look he was giving me now.

"You don't know anything about him," he said almost with a regret of sadness I have never seen him have before.

"I know you cared for him deeply even though he was considered a higher rank than you. I know that you loved his mother just as much, but hated his father for being the father you never had. I know that your father blamed you for your mother's death and eventually for the life that James had as well," I said to him.

"Stop," he said to me.

I had moved up from my crouched position and cocked my head to the side. I was slightly confused. Victor Creed was terrified of his past. He was terrified of anything that linked him to the human world.

"James Howlett is alive," I said to him just above a whisper as the memories that I hadn't dug into yet resurfaced like it was the first time.

"Stop," he said again but I couldn't I was compelled now. He backed away from me then but it was too late, I had already seen too much and I couldn't stop.

"It wasn't you're fault. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," I continued as echoes of screams rang into my ears. His brother's mother's screams, his brother's stepfather's screams, even his own father's screams, they all seemed to echo on for forever.

"Stop it," he said with a deep warning growl. It was almost so deep I didn't even hear it over the silent screams that ran through my mind.

"You were just boys. You're father was drunk, he was always so angry when he was drunk. She tried to protect you, tried to stop him. But she could never stop him," I continued to say.

Images of that night ran through my mind like a movie in fast forward.

"_It's your fault she's dead boy! If she never had you she would have been strong enough to survive! Now look I have to pine after somebody else's wife like some goddamn whore."_

_The man raised his fists to hit the young blonde version of Victor Creed. But a delicate, perfectly manicured hand grabbed it instead. _

"_If you hit that boy one more time then you might as well leave my property," she said in a delicate accent that had honey laced within it. _

"_He ain't nothin' but a god forsaken devil child! I mean look at him! He looks like an animal, a freak!" the man screamed at her. _

"_But he's you're child, no matter what he looks like!" She screamed back at him. _

"_No!" the man screamed out as he removed his fist from the woman's hands and he reached across his body and whipped out his colt 45 and pointed it straight at her heart. _

_"I will not believe that the only thing that my wife brought into this world was a demon, a monster!" He screamed out at the woman before him. The only woman he had ever truly loved besides his wife._

_"He's not a monster, he's your son!" she screamed back at him in disbelief. The man clicked the gun back as the bullet loaded into the barrel. _

_"No!" he screamed back at her. _

_"Momma?" The delicate voice of a young boy. He had dark hair like his mother's and hazel eyes like the screaming man before her. He was the combination of a once strong love. He was a constant reminder of a time when both had been happy, if only for the briefest of moments._

_"James," the woman said, "go back up to the house."_

_"I heard loud voices," he said to her like the scared eight year old he was. _

_"We're just having a discussion. I am sorry if it scared you. Why don't you have Dog take you back up to the house and ya'll can get a piece of that blue berry pie Rebecca made?" She cooed to him hoping he would listen for once and just go. _

_"Alright," he said and held out his hand to his best friend. His best friend was just a boy of twelve with the same unruly hair as himself only the color of summer hay on a sunny day._

_"Come on Jimmy lets go," the blond haired boy said as he reached out to take his younger brother's hand. The younger of the two was completely unaware that they shared the same strands of DNA. _

_"No!" The man, their father screamed out as he moved the cocked gun towards the boys, "you'll be stayin' here boys. Mrs. Howlett here got something she needs to tell both of yeah."_

_"Thomas this is not the place nor the time for this," Mrs. Howlett begged out. _

_"When will it be the right time for it, Elizabeth?" Thomas asked her as he starred transfixed at the two boys. _

_"They look so much alike. So innocent, so young," Thomas said as he began a slow approach on the two scared boys._

_"Thomas Logan don't you dare take another step towards those boys," Elizabeth Howlett warned. _

_"Elizabeth? Thomas?" the sophisticated voice of Mr. John Howlett called out as he walked into the barn. A drunken Thomas Logan stood only feet away from the two boys a gun pointed between them. _

_"Please Thomas, don't," she begged as she herself starred at her only son. The son she would not have had if she had not fallen in love with Thomas Logan nearly eight years ago. _

_"Tell them," he said louder than before, "tell them."_

_"I'm sorry, I am so sorry," she chanted out as tears started to drip down her face._

_"Elizabeth what is going on?" Mr. Howlett asked his wife in confusion._

_"I think it's the right time now Elizabeth," Thomas called out as he starred transfixed at the young James Howlett. _

_Taking a few steps towards the drunken man Mr. Howlett raised his hand towards the gun._

_"Thomas," Mr. Howlett said with a warning in his voice._

_"Sorry John but not this time," Thomas called out as he turned from the boys towards John Howlett. He didn't even hesitate as the gun went off._

_"NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" The three people left in the room screamed out. _

_Elizabeth Howlett dropped down to her knees in complete shock. James ran to his father's side and cradled his now dead body with his small hands and Dog just stood there and watched it all in disbelief. Dog could feel the anger radiate off of his younger brother. He knew what was about to happen, he could see it in his brother's eyes. He had felt the same way not to long ago himself. _

_He could hear the heavy panting coming off the small boy. He could see his once hazel eyes turn that brilliant yellow his himself did. And that's when it started, long, sharp bone claws. Three on each hand began their slow decline from the base of his tiny knuckles to the just past his finger tips. _

_Dog Logan watched as his younger brother became the monster he himself had been for as long as he could remember. James Howlett stood from his father's unmoving dead body and began a slow, predator like stalk towards their true biological father. _

_"You don't understand," Thomas said to the boy from across the room, "I am you're father."_

_Dog watched in fascination as the boy let out a small animalistic warning to the man. It was his signal to run, to run as fast as he can and never look back. But being the drunken bastard that Thomas Logan had become, he heard no warning. The man just stood there in drunken fascination as his youngest son lived up to the name Logan._

_Dog did nothing as he watched as his brother advanced on his father. He had waited a long time for this, too long. _

My head snapped up at the memory. I had seen it before; I had heard that name before. _Logan_. Such a popular name it seemed.

"No," I said as I looked up into the eyes of the man I had helped save.

"You can't be," I said aloud to him.

"Looks like you just found out my families dirty little secret," he said to me. This Victor Creed, no, Dog, Dog Logan said to me.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" I asked as I moved towards him.

"No need too," he said simply.

"He's been looking for someone like you for nearly twenty years now."

"Yeah well that's his problem not mine," he replied to me as he turned around from me and headed towards the exit.

"Don't walk away Victor," I said to him as I all but ran towards him. I allowed more images to fill my mind as I looked into his haunted hazel eyes.

_"Papa please," a very young Victor, no older than six pleaded to his father. A large metal color hung from his neck, a chain wrapped around his thin arms and locked him tightly to the wall. _

_"I've tried everything I can think of," the man, a younger version of Thomas Logan said, "but I can't...I can't keep an animal like you in the house."_

_"But papa..." the boy started again. _

_His father turned, a remorse look on his face, the image of what Dog Logan looked like at six would make any father look remorseful. Sharp, white fangs could be seen in the little bit of light that was left in the room. Long, shaggy blond hair hung like a mop on the poor boys head and those hands. Unnaturally thick and yellow finger nails protruded from the boys fingers like tiny individual daggers. And his eyes, that cat like eyes of his would make anyone question what the boy really was. He was an abomination, a cruel joke from God himself. _

_"Sorry son, but we can't have the devil running around outside. It just ain't right," Thomas Logan said shutting the door tightly behind him and leaving the six year old boy alone in the dark, chained to the wall in his basement. _

"Don't pity me Rogue," he said to me as tears began to fall from my eyes. I couldn't help it.

"I never said I was. But he's all you got left in this world. He's the only person who never looked down on you, never told you, you were an animal," I said to him.

I couldn't help it. I really couldn't. The man had been through so much in his life. No one, not even his own father gave him the time of day. Now his own son was doing the same thing to him. I could no longer hate a man who had been hated his whole life.

"You can't call someone something you call yourself frail," he said with such a somber look that I nearly broke into tears again.

Another wave of a flashback began to erupt from behind my eyes as I looked into his face. He looked so tired in that moment that I knew for the rest of my life I would always remember it.

"_We're brothers," said the young Dog Logan, "we stick together no matter what. You're a Logan now and Logan's watch each other's back." _

_James Howlett just nodded his head in understanding. Too young to truly understand the magnitude of what was happening to them both. _

"Is that why you always seem to show up around him," I asked him after memory faded. He looked at me confused since he hadn't seen what I had just seen.

"_Logan's stick together no matter what, they watch each other's back_. It's what you said to him right after the accident when you were twelve," I explained to him. He looked away from me then.

"What happened?" I asked him as I walked towards him. I was completely compelled by the story I had witnessed in my head. I was beyond fascinated by it all, I was captivated.

"Nothing that concerns you," he told me before he turned and began to walk away from me.

I reached out and grabbed his large arm; my hand barely reached half way across it. He stopped though and looked at my hand and then at me.

"You don't have to tell me now," I began to tell him, "but I hope that someday when you're ready that you do."

He didn't say anything to me, just nodded his head and turned and left me to think about all I knew in the danger room.

"End Simulation please," I called out and then I too left with a knowledge no one was ever supposed to know about two of the greatest and most ferocious mutants of all time.

**A/N: This was a lot shorter than I had originally planned. I had wanted to stretch it out to a lot longer point than this but I think it ended well here. This was just a short synopsis of what I want for to be for Sabretooth's life. (Actually just between you and me on they have a clip from the movie Wolverine: Origins and this is kind of what happened, along with some stuff I pulled from biographies on Sabretooth online and this is what came out). I do hope I do not offend any Victor Creed fan's with this. I just want to make Victor Creed more personable than he has been portrayed in the movies and in the comic books. He has been hated from such a young age and still is even now. I just think it's time for Victor Creed to have the life that everyone deserves. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to all of my loyal reviewers. You make it so much easier for me to continue on writing with your words of encouragement. Thanks again WandaW for you're very insightful review and you're insight into the life of Victor Creed. It will make evolving his character even more fun. **

"The families will start to arrive today," Bobby "Iceman" Drake told me with a sigh. It had been nearly three years now since we had been together and both of us have grown up to be such different people than we were then. I was no longer shy and scared of the world and Bobby was not nearly as naive and innocent as he used to be.

"Do we know which ones?" I asked as I sat next to him in the kitchen.

"No. Some people just hung up the phone the moment we said their names. Other's never even said a word after we finished explaining what had happened. But a few did seem to actually care about what had happened," he explained to me.

Bobby, Kitty, John and Jubilee were assigned call duty. They were the ones who had to call each family member and give them the bad news. They were the ones who had to tell parents that their children would never come home again because someone thought they were superior to everyone else.

It was a depressing job.

"When will the burial service begin?" I questioned as I shifted in my chair.

"In three days. The Professor has already hired some extra people to help burry all of the bodies. Magneto's group is also coming to pay their respects. Apparently one of their own was part of the masses."

"Looks like everyone had something to lose that day," I said as I looked over at him.

"Yeah," he replied to me simply as he too turned to look at me.

Even though our relationship had ended badly we still remained close. We still had feelings for each other. His more so than mine of course. But the day Jean died and Logan left to go find whatever it was he was looking for I lost a little bit of myself too. And I knew that no matter how much Bobby loved me, I would never love him as much as I had loved Logan .

We continued to sit in silence as we waited for the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons of the dead to arrive. As I sat there, I continued to wonder, who would come for Victor if he had died? Who would say nice things about him when we placed his body six feet beneath the Earths crust?

As I shifted through what I had already gained from Victor I realized that if Logan didn't remember him, no one would be there. He would be forgotten, just like all the others. It nearly had tears come back up to my eyes.

"The first are here," Bobby spoke solemnly as he stood from his chair. I followed like wise and began to place a more indifferent face on. But I don't think anything would have prepared me for what I knew was to come.

The mansion was silent as the dead as the families started to be ushered into one of our larger banquet halls. Earlier that day we had set up tables with pressed white linens and chairs. Our finest china was placed out in honor of our guests along with our best silver. Storm had the whitest lilies and roses brought in from a local florist to adorn the tables and monuments that had been built in the last few days. It would be a beautiful service.

"You ready," Scott asked me as he stood in a perfectly pressed black suite next to me.

"Are you?' I asked him. This would be the hardest on him. It was his dead wife after all that had caused all of this. But we won't let any of them know that.

"Let's go then," he said to me not answering my question. He placed his hand on the back of my long sleeved black dress and ushered me into the dinning hall.

I was surprised to say the least. Nearly a hundred people gathered about different tables. Each group holding pictures of their loved ones, hoping I suppose to find a connection with anyone.

But the moment I saw the family nearest to the main table I all but froze in my tracks. There they sat the relatives of the family that we found first. The purple skinned woman who held her child tightly to her chest as she smothered him looked exactly like her mother (minus the purple skin of course). Then there were the twins, their lifeless blue eyes and shinny silver hair looked exactly like their fathers.

I brought the memories of finding their children's lifeless bodies to the forefront of my mind as I looked at them. The mother of the purple skinned woman, Susan Powers, the report had said her name was, locked eyes with me the minute I had entered the room. Her daughter was a chameleon, she changed color with her surroundings, when she wasn't using her power her skin was a beautiful lavender color.

"Mrs. Powers," I said politely holding out a black gloved hand.

"How do you know my name?" She asked with a confused expression.

"I know most of you're names," I replied as I looked from her to her other daughter. They looked a lot alike.

"Did you know my Marsha?" She asked with this doe eyes look.

"No," I replied, "not personally. I was the one who found her."

"Oh," She responded. The small light in her eye seemed to fade with my answer.

"There are something's concerning her death that we need to talk to you about," I explained to her. She looked at me for a second like I was going to tell her the worst wasn't over. Then I realized for her nothing could be worse than this.

"I...I mean we think it will make this process easier for you," I tried to tell her as I motioned for her to sit. I could see Scott doing the same with the twins father and mother at another table adjacent to our own.

"Is there anything that could make something like this easier?" she asked me as she took her seat.

"No I am afraid not," I told her with a sad look.

"Then I guess it's rather irrelevant," she said solemnly as she sipped some of the coffee she had taken when it was offered earlier.

"I just thought you might want to know," I told her, "that she didn't die alone in the dark and that she didn't suffer a painful death."

"What do you mean?" she asked me with that hopeful glimmer in her eyes again.

"We found her in a cell with three other people. A pair of twin boys who were about her age," I began to explain to her. My eyes had immediately flickered over to the silver haired man and his wife, "and a young boy of about two or three years old."

"Marsha has been missing for nearly four years," Mrs. Powers explained to me.

"Yes, that's what Mr. Drake told me," I paused again as I pulled out a photograph of the four of them together in the cell.

"What I am about to show you isn't ethical by any means. But if I was a mother and in your position I think I would like to see this last picture of my daughter. You may hate me for showing it to you, of making your pain more real for you. But I think in the end you'll be happy to know that she was loved and was loved in return."

I handed her the hard cop of the photo we had taken of her daughter and her grandson. I wanted to hope that she would be able to see the family resemblance and know her daughter wasn't alone in her finale hours.

"He looks just like her," she said to me as tears began to fall uncaring down her face. She let an olive skinned finger trace an outline of the two together. Her other daughter peered over her shoulder to look as well. Both seemed captivated by the image.

"Yes, he was her son. In the end she smothered him to death so he wouldn't have to die alone, scared and in the dark," I started to explain, "the man holding her was the boy's father."

"She looks peaceful," Marsha's sister said.

"Mrs. Powers," Scott said as he stood next to my hair.

"Yes," Susan Powers replied as she whipped some of the tears that had fallen off of her face.

"This is Mr. and Mrs. Stronghold. Their sons were the twins from the picture, Peter and David," Scott explained as he motioned towards the silver haired man and the blue eyed woman.

Susan stood up from her hair and looked at the two people as fresh tears fell from her face. With out saying a word she stepped forward and hugged Mrs. Stronghold in a fierce grip. It didn't take long for the two women to break down and begin to cry in each other's arms.

Scott turned to me then and I knew that it was time for us to leave them in their moment. We walked out together from the reception back towards the main hallway. A few people still trickled in as Ororo and The Professor greeted each of them. It was almost hearts breaking to watch them all come in; each dressed in different shades of black.

"How will they ever get over this?" I asked Scott as we walked arm and arm towards the back of the school.

"I don't think they ever truly will," he replied to me with a truth I hadn't heard from him in awhile. It was a sad truth that spoke volumes about what he had been through himself, about what he was still going through.

We continued to walk in silence towards the covered patio that had numerous swing benches and rocking chairs. For a moment it reminded me of Mississippi and the patios of all the old civil war homes. They all had long, wide patios accented with rocking chairs and swing benches.

As we sat side by side on one of the swing benches I couldn't help but think of Victor. Who would come here and mourn him if he had died like all the others? From what I can tell the only person living that was family was Logan and well Logan doesn't remember a whole lot about that.

I thought Magneto might, or Mystique but then shook that from my head immediately. Those two would rather die than pretend to be associated with Victor Creed. Especially Mystique after she finds out it was her son that did it. I knew Eric was coming to the funeral service. But deep down I knew that was all just a front. He was just showing his support for Xavier and his monument.

So really, as I really thought about it, no one would be here to mourn for Victor Creed. And the thought of that pulled at my heart strings. He really was a good person deep down. But with life's constant stream of hate and abuse, it's no wonder he turned angry and mean in the end.

"I don't think Victor will have any problems working with the X-team during danger room sessions," I told Scott lightening the mood a little.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I sadly have to admit I didn't have a chance in hell against him. He's almost too good," I told him with a smile.

"So you want me to put him in the sessions starting next week?" Scott asked me. I nodded; I had forgotten Xavier had canceled all pre-assigned practices for the rest of this week.

"I think he could possibly be a better asset to us than Logan ever was," I told him truthfully.

"Rogue, don't get too attached," Scott warned. I was totally thrown by his comment.

"What do you mean? Logan's not going to come back here; he's not going to come back to me no matter how much I want him too. Just like Jean isn't coming back here for you. I'm finally moving on with my life," I said defensively. Why I was acting so defense I had no clue.

"He's just like Logan Rogue, he'll string you along and then leave you when the going gets to be too tough. That's what men like them do Rogue. You can't bring the bad boys home and you need a good guy. Someone who will always be there for you no matter what," Scott said with earnest. I knew he was only looking out for me like an older brother should. But damn him for being so annoying.

"Bobby was suppose to be the good guy," I told him looking him straight in the eyes, "but we know how that turned out for us in the end. The people you think are the good guys are the ones who won't touch me. They don't push the boundaries to make me feel, even for just a second like a normal person! So for all you know Victor Creed might very well be the good guy that I am looking for!" I all but screamed out as I stood up and stomped away from Scott Stupid Summers.

I didn't even make it five feet off of the porch before I ran into something solid and very manly.

"Offph!..." I yelled out in agitation. But as I looked up I was surprised to see the main man in what seems to be the only conversations I had been having lately.

"Frail?" he said with a questioning look.

"Oh don't you go pretending you didn't hear that entire conversation. For all I know you were probably hiding in some bushes or something," I said with the same fiery agitation I had with Scott.

"I do not hide in bushes," he said with that stupid cocked eyebrow that every man I know can do. Hell I can even do it!

"Ha! So you were listening," I said with a pointed finger before I turned abruptly and marched off towards the left side of the mansion.

The forest tree line was only a few feet ahead of me and I really wanted to go for a quite walk in the woods. And when I mean quite I mean I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and beat the hell out of a tree.

I was almost there; I could see the soft grass of Xavier's lawn fading to that dirt covered terrain that was so common with forests, when his hand grabbed my arm. It didn't hurt like it had before when he had grabbed me. It was just a gentle tug that forced me to stop and turn and face him.

"Did you mean it?" he asked me with such a serious look in his eyes all of my anger towards Scott and the world melted away.

"Mean what?" I asked stupidly.

"Did you mean what you said to Summers?" He asked me again.

"Yes," I told him with a stern look.

He let go of my arm then and a look that was a mixture of elation and defeat spread across his face. Then I realized it, for the first time, I completely understood Victor Creed. No one, in his entire life had ever stood up for him. No one had ever told him he could be the good guy. No one ever told him that he was perfect just the way he was. No one cared. I reached out to him this time, no longer afraid of what might happen.

"Victor, you could very well be the most honest, trust worthy person I have ever met in my entire life," I began to tell him, "you let me fall down so that I can learn how to pick myself up again. You treat me as an equal and don't shy away from me when I touch you. You don't sugar coat reality and you don't let anyone keep you down. To me Victor, that's the definition of what a good guy is supposed to be about."

Then he smiled at me. Not his usual sneer, that leaves you shaking in your boots. But a genuine smile that made him look even more handsome than he had ever been. Then I knew then as well that I wanted to be the only person in this world that made him smile like that. I wanted to be the only person he smiled at like that too.

I knew what was about to happen even before he did it. Because, I knew deep down that I wanted it too.

He kissed me.

Full on the mouth, tongue battle kissing. It was amazing.

I had never been kissed with so much passion in my entire life. His hands moved over my body like he was touched his last life line to this world. I tangled my hands into his thick blond hair and prayed it would never end.

But sudden reality started to set back in and after only a few moments of hot making out my mutation kicked back in. But he didn't stop; he didn't pull away like everyone else had done. He grabbed me tighter and kissed me harder, as if he was willing my mutation to try and kill him. And it made my body tremble with a pleasure I had never known before.

Eventually it was me that had to break the kiss. His memories and thoughts were overloading my senses and well I just really need to breathe. We stood there looking at each other with a haze filled look. My breath came out in little short pants that reminded me of a horse that just completed a track race.

"Wow," I said with such stupidity I almost hit my self up side the head. He didn't say anything about my stupidity he just gave me another one of his beautiful smiles.

"I think you nailed it frail," he said to me with a deep laugh that echoed in the forest.

It was such a beautiful laugh. It was a laugh that lifted my heart and warmed my toes. I could say nothing but continue to smile idiotically up at him as he raised his hand and brushed some of my hair out of my face.

"Thank you," he said again and I knew in that moment I had found a shared soul. I knew I found my good guy.

**A/N: So what do you think? Not really as interesting as some of the others, no new information found out. It was more of a lets tie up some lose ends and make some new ones kind of chapter. Also, sorry that I didn't get a chance to respond to all of my reviewers. I usually try and do that but I've been mega busy and I just started this new book series called the House of Night by P.C. Cast. I love it because it's like a mixture of Twilight and Harry Potter AND they mention X-Men a lot! I screamed the first time I read a part that mentioned one of the X-Men, Scared the beegezus out of my boyfriend. He thought I had a heart attack and died (which is pretty close to the truth). So anyways, I recommend it, it's a good read. Thanks again. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Wow! I received so many reviews so quickly! I am almost blown away by ya'lls' never ending gratitude for my work. It leaves a permanent smile on my face all day! Also, a quick thank you to Wanda W for her once again very insightful review on what may or may not be occurring with our lovely main characters. OH! Side note! Just to let you all know this chapter will be the start of some new and exciting events that will be throwing out characters in to a whirlwind of difficult situations! But enough of all of this blah…blah…blahing lets move onto the story shall we? **

"Victor Creed is alive?" The questioning voice of the ever so tall and sophisticatedly dressed Graydon Creed asked as he looked down at the various black and white pictures of his mutant father. A very disturbing look crossing his fine features.

"Unfortunately," The smooth voice of one Jean Grey, no scratch that, she was no longer the Jean Grey everyone grew up knowing and loving. This red headed woman who stood not too far from Victor Creed was something more than just simple Jean Grey. She was a Goddess amongst men, she was the Phoenix. She is a force that when in complete control of her emotions and surroundings. She is stronger and more powerful than any nuclear warhead on this planet.

"And this woman?" Graydon asked as he looked down at the photographs. His father stood just on the on the outskirts of Xavier's property, a beautiful brunet woman stood in front of him. Regrettably her back was turned to him and Graydon was unable to get a better look at her.

"Rogue," Phoenix responded through gritted teeth, "a female mutant with the power to absorb any other mutant or human. But by skin to skin contact she can gain any information about the life of the person in which she is absorbing. That includes dreams, memories, mutant abilities and life forces."

"Hum…interesting," Graydon hummed out as he continued to stare at the mutant woman with more intrigue than Phoenix preferred, "I am curious my darling on why you have not mentioned her to me before?"

"She is heavily guarded by the X-Men and she has absolutely no control over her mutant abilities which makes keeping her contained even that much more difficult. If she accidentally absorbs a mutant with a large amount of power she won't be able to handle it properly and could very well kill us all," Phoenix explained as she sashayed her way over to Graydon draping her long, silky smooth arms over his shoulders.

"Humm…," he hummed again and continued to stare down at the woman's picture, "a mutant with uncontrollable mutant abilities such as hers is worth investigating. I believe we should pay this Rogue a visit."

"Of course my darling, I will inform the team," she said with an agitation that Graydon did not pick up.

****

"Rogue if-I-knew-your-last-name-and-middle-name-I-would-be-SO-using-it-right-now!" Jubilee screamed at me from across the Recreation Room.

I was laying across one of the various love seats reading a fantastic book about a school for Vampires (hehe I mentioned this book last chappie :D) and was completely shocked out of my realm of fiction with her high pitched scream. Leaning my head backwards I looked over at her. She looked ready to shoot my head off.

"Yes Jubilation Lee?" I asked using her full name since she tried to use mine. I truly had no idea what she was yelling at me for.

"You have a ton of explaining to do!" she screeched out. I looked over at her with a serious face; I really had no idea what she was talking about even though I wish I did. I looked around at the many students who occupied the Recreational Room each had stopped doing whatever it was they were doing to stare at Jubilee and I. Everyone knew that if we had a conversation like this one it was worth every penny of gossip it was worth.

I was secretly mortified. I hated public displays like this. Unluckily for me, my roommate/best friend loved them. I sighed then knowing what was coming. She would yell, I would make her look like the idiot she was being and then we would kiss and make up. It was a routine I had practiced many times in the few short years I have lived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

"And what exactly do I need to explain oh goddess of yellow?" I asked using the silly nickname one of her ex-boyfriends had used on her once.

"I hate it when you call me that," she snapped at me. I knew she really wasn't mad at me, not really, if she was she wouldn't have said anything about the nickname, "I am trying to be serious here Rogue."

"Sorry," I replied as I moved to a sitting position, "what's wrong sugar?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked me liked a kicked puppy.

"Tell you what?" I asked her thoroughly confused by her sudden despondent attitude.

"Why didn't you tell me you where seeing Victor Creed?" She asked me with an almost whinny voice.

"Because I am not seeing Victor Creed and what would make you think I was seeing him in the first place?" I asked my heart beating a million miles per minute. I mean I just kissed the man, it's not like I had a freaking ring on my finger or anything!

"Bobby and Kitty saw you guys over by the tree line. Kitty said you and him were doing some pretty heavy making out," Jubilee responded to my question. I took a mental note to kill ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.

"Victor and I kissed Jubilee that is true. But that does not mean we are seeing each other. For all I know that could have been a onetime occurrence," I explained to her. Deep down however I hoped differently. No man, or boy for that matter, had ever kissed me the way he had. It was so full of passion and heat. I couldn't even feel a moment of hesitation when our lips began to tangle with one another. It still brought Goosebumps to my arms and legs.

"So you are not seeing anyone?" She asked.

"No Jubilee I am not," I told her with what I assumed was a happy smile.

"But I mean it had to mean something to you. I mean Sabertooth just kissed Rogue! The untouchable mutant girl! This is like an epic piece of information here!" Jubilee said to me with such exasperation I was nearly giggling.

"Yes, I realize that being untouchable and being kissed are big things for me Jubilee but I am trying really hard not to get too worked up over it, okay?" I told her hoping she would catch my drift about this whole thing and shut up ASAP!

"Oh!" she said realizing for the first time that we had a small audience, "you're right what was I thinking believing second hand gossip from Kitty Pryde."

"Exactly my point," I told her with that stupid wide smile I was giving her.

"Oh well sorry let me leave you to your book," she replied to me before turning about face and leaving the room.

I sighed and knew that I had about five seconds to leave before I started hearing that piece of gossip spread throughout the recreation room. Tossing my book off to the side I picked myself up and decided to search for the man that I am supposedly dating now.

I walked with an aimless sort of walk. I couldn't really stop thinking about the kiss we had shared. I still left a lingering taste in my mouth I had hoped would never go away. He tasted so rich, like milk chocolate yet rough like the Earth. It was such a tormenting sensation I doubt I could find anywhere else.

"Somethin' on your mind frail?" His voice asked me from somewhere down the hallway. I turned back to look at where his voice might have come from.

I hadn't even realized I had past him as I thought about the way his body pressed up against mine earlier today. He was leaning up against one of the many doors that lined this particular hallway. He wore those cowboy jeans of his that hugged all the right places and just a plain old black t-shirt made of thick cotton.

"Oh nothing really," I said with a coy smile and a mischievous look in my eye.

"Nothing? Hum…because from over here it sure looks like something rather important," he replied.

"I was just thinking about some stuff," I said to him.

"Stuff?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of stuff?" he asked me and I knew in that moment it was all hook line and sinker from here on out.

"Oh nothing important really," I said with a playful smile, "mostly you really and the raving gossip that seems to spread like a wild fire in this school."

"Gossip?" he asked with an intrigued look.

"Tons and tons of gossip," I replied as he moved out of his spot against the doorway.

"About me?" He asked as he stopped right in front of me.

"A little of you and little of me," I said my eyes locking with him hazel ones.

"Hum…sounds like the type of gossip I might want to hear myself," he said with that smile that was all mine.

"Really? So you would want to hear about how Bobby Drake and Kitty Pryde saw us having a marvelous make out session just over by that tree line? You would also want to know that they told everyone that you and I are now the hottest thing since black became the new pink? I never would have thought. I mean you're Victor 'Sabertooth' Creed the most badass mutant on the planet. You kick ass and take names like no other man on this planet. Who would have thought you would be so interested in the going ons of high school gossip?" I cheekily replied to him.

"Well you did say you were involved in that little bit of gossip right?" he said his smile growing larger.

"Of course, didn't you know? I am the hottest ticket on the market! Boys have been lining up to kiss me since I was sixteen!" I said as if this was common knowledge. I couldn't even stifle my own giggle at my response to him. I was acting like a giddy teenage girl here.

"Oh really? Good thing I am a man then," he said to me as he leaned down closer to my face. I could feel his breath caressing my naked skin that was peeking out just above my collar bone.

"What do you mean?" I asked in the haze that was falling over me once again.

"Well for a woman like you, no boy is ever going to be good enough to grab your attention," he said with such a husk in his voice my knees began to quiver and shake.

"Really now?" I said with a smart-alecky smirk.

"Yeah frail, didn't you know? The only thing that'll ever be good enough for you is a man," he whispered as he grazed the side of my face with his finger tips. I could feel the tingle of my mutation as it started its usual life sucking process.

I didn't even respond as his lips lowered down closer to my face and our lips brushed against one another in a tantalizing moment of pure unadulterated lust for one another. In that moment I knew I had been completely, 100% hooked on Victor Creeds every word.

"I don't want to hurt you," I whispered to him, my eyes never leaving the small curve of his lips.

"You could never hurt me," he countered as he bent back down to kiss me again. This time however it held more promises than the first.

I could feel my mutation as it began its strong encouraging pull. The voice whispering in the back of my head to take more of him, to wallow in the depths of his soul and never come back up for air seemed to cloud my judgment. Normally I ignored that part of me, the animalistic side of myself that craved the domination of another human being. But with Victor's arms closing around me and our tongues fighting for some sort of dominance I began to listen to it, I began to become one with it as I felt his body fight against my own.

It was then, when I felt completely in control that a small coughing noise was made to the right of us. I pulled away immediately, momentarily embarrassed by the obvious display of PDA in the school hallway.

"Professor," I said trying to hide the blush that spread across my face, betraying my true feelings about Victor and myself.

"Rogue, Victor, it's so good to see the two of you getting along. But please try to remember to keep things of personal matters behind closed doors. We do not need the younger students getting the wrong idea about what is appropriate and what is not," Xavier said as he rolled away from us.

"I think the gossip meter probably just shot up," said I.

"You're probably right," he replied, "I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world," I told him as I all but skipped away from him down the hallway.

I continued to wonder the hallways till dinner. I passed several of the families as they packed their bags to leave. Most hugged me good bye as they left, thanking us for all we've done. I almost felt guilty for the appreciation they were showing me. I didn't get there soon enough to save their children, their husbands and wives and I left them with an eternal hole in their chests that will never be filled again. It was disheartening to say the least.

By the time dinner did arrive only about one third of the families were still left. The families that remained were the ones who wanted to be at the burial service for the ones that didn't have family to whisper prayers to them as they passed on into the next world. I realized as I walked into the dining hall that both the Stronghold's and the Power's had stayed behind.

They sat together near one of the large ceiling to floor windows and talked amongst themselves. They were family now, they had told me earlier in the day, they had to stick together to show their support for not only each other, but for everyone else as well.

I waved at them as I moved to sit beside the stoic version of my Scott Summers. I was still rather upset with him about the whole Victor and me thing, but I wasn't going to let it get under my skin.

"Scott," I said I sat down across from him. He didn't say anything, just nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"I heard that Victor and you were seeing each other," Scott said as he took a sip of his red wine.

"I don't know if you would call it seeing one another," I replied as I too took a sip out of my own wine glass.

"I don't think it's a good idea," he replied to me.

"Well I don't think I particularly care if you do or don't think it's a good idea Scott. Victor is not the person in which we have always believed him to be. I think that he was a product of everything we are trying to prevent from happening. If we allow people to continue to hate mutants the way they have been, then I believe we will have more people like Victor walking around," I told him sipping my wine again.

"I just don't want to see you hurt again Rogue," he responded to me with such truth I could only nod my approval.

"I know, but sometimes I have to fall on my own butt," I told him with a smile.

"Certainly, if you didn't fall on it every once in awhile no one would have anything to talk about," Scott counter with a hearty laugh.

We smiled at each other's silly bantering before the first course of our dinner arrived. The biggest plus about living at Xavier's is the food and the catering service that goes with it. Of course Xavier has to make them all think this is just a normal private school for runaway children but that's beside the point.

It was while my food was being placed in front of me that I noticed Victor strolling through the front doors of the dining hall. I immediately started waving my hand to grab his attention. He saw me immediately and smiled that smile that I love so much. But then he stopped half way towards our table and turned to look at the tall ceiling to floor windows. He crouched low and got into a defensive stance, I could hear the warning growl from halfway across the room.

I immediately shot up from my table and began to make my way towards him. I noticed that several of the other teachers also noticed his reaction and began to do the same.

"Storm and Scott please escort the students to a more secure facility. Beast will you please stay with Rogue and Victor I will escort our guests to the student security room," Professor Xavier announced in his authoritarian voice.

"Of course Professor," Ororo said as she and Scott began to usher the children from the room.

"Victor what's wrong?" I asked him as I moved towards his side.

"She's here," Victor responded to me in a low, angry voice.

"Who Jean?" Beast asked as he too began to take a defensive stance.

"No Santa Claus," I said with the roll of my eyes.

"She's here with about ten other…things," He said flexing his hands.

"What do you mean?" Beast asked.

"I don't know, they just don't smell right," Victor replied.

"Where are they?" I asked unable to see beyond the lighted pavilion outside.

"At the edge of the woods, they're waiting," he said as he began to move forward.

"Let's do this outside shall we?" Hank asked as we stood up from our stances and began to move towards the side patio door that led out the pavilion.

As we exited the building we were rejoined by Scott and Storm who were already dressed in their X-Men attire. I swear those two have to wear them under their clothes. I quickly briefed him on what Sabertooth had observed and we began our trek to the large expansive lawn that surrounded Xavier's property.

"They're in the trees," Beast said as his eyes adjusted to the lighting of the night.

"Goodness, I swear I need to absorb ya'll more often, I can't see a damn thing," I muttered so only our group could hear.

"Rogue dear, it's rather crude to swear," Hank spoke to me and all I could do was roll my eyes again.

About ten feet from the tree line we stopped moving. We stood there looking up and into the trees as they swayed slightly in the wind.

"What do you want?" Scott asked in his leading tone.

"We come for her," we heard one of them whisper his voice seemed to travel with the wind.

"Who?" I heard Scott ask.

The people in the trees didn't speak again but in what felt like a blur of movement against the night they landed gracefully on the ground. None of them made a sound.

"We come for the one who will set us all free," the voice again whispered against the wind. He didn't sound human as he stood hunched over.

"I don't understand," Scott asked, "we have many students and teachers within our facility. Who exactly do you want?"

"We want her," he croaked out and pointed to me with a long, thin finger that was covered in a black glove.

"What in the hell do you want me for?" I asked in astonishment. I felt Victor's eyes on me again as he stood up from his defensive position and moved in front of me. It was a clear show of dominance towards me.

"She will set us free," they whispered together on the wind of the night.

"Free from what?" Beast asked as he studied the creatures.

"From me of course," the haughty voice of Jean Grey spoke as she gracefully landed in front of the creatures.

She was dressed in a blood red uniform that whipped around her. Her long tress of red hair hung low against her bare back.

"Hello Phoenix," I said through gritted teeth.

"Rogue," she replied with a smile and a nod, "it's so good to see you all again."

"Unfortunately we can't say the same for you," Scott spoke out. I was mildly surprised by it, I didn't think he would be able to handle seeing her again.

"What an awful thing to say Scott," she said her lithe voice.

"Truth hurts," I spoke out from behind Victor who turned to give me a look that clearly told me to shut the fuck up.

"And look it's my favorite pet," she spoke out like a coo to a baby.

Victor said nothing and let out a low defensive growl that I could vibrate throughout his body.

"Oh this is just special," she said clapping her hands together, "who would have thought my old precious pet would be fucking my new one."

I could feel Victor grab my arm and pull me to his chest. He pressed me as hard as he could to him, not daring to let me go. I didn't pay any attention to him as I looked at the red headed queen of pure bitchiness.

"Where's Graydon Jean?" I asked hoping to strike a nerve, "I thought he would be here with you. I know how you to are just oh so close."

"Graydon is none of your concern," she spoke to me with a grind to her teeth.

We just stood there then, the X-Men against the Phoenix's forces. Neither side moved as all eyes flickered between Jean and I.

"Bring her to me," Jean finally spoke as she pointed her long, perfectly manicured nail at me. The hunched over creatures seemed to flutter at her words as they began their slow decent upon me.

I held Victor closer to me as I watched them begin to advance towards us.

"Rogue," Victor whispered to me, "when I let go of you I want you to run as fast as you can to where ever Scott and Storm hid the kids okay?"

I looked up at him ready to shake my head no; I didn't want to leave him. I felt safer next to him and knew I could fight these monsters. I was not a timid, shrinking violet _(see told yeah WandaW I would use it :D)_. But the look in Victor's eyes made me realize we could never defeat them if I stood next to him. He needs me safe and out of harm ways so that he could do what he does best.

"Alright," I whispered to him as Scott shoots the first of the advancing creatures out of my line of direction.

"Good, now run," he said to me and he released me from his grasp. I stood there stunned for a moment before I turned about face and sprinted as fast as I could towards the underground passage ways that led to the panic room where the kids would be held.

I didn't turn back as I heard Victor's barbaric roar echo throughout the mansion nor did I turn around when I felt all the glass around me shatter into a million pieces as Scott's laser beams sliced through the bodies of those creatures. I ran as fast as I could until I reached the underground sanctuary that would lead to one of the larger of our panic rooms that lined the underbelly of the school.

I ran down the last hallway leading towards where I knew the kids would be hiding. If I had been paying more attention to my surroundings instead of my destination I might have heard the crunching of glass as one of the creatures followed my footsteps.

"You will set us free," he whispered on the wind as he moved with such fluidity towards me.

I turned and stopped running so that I could face my soon to be attacker. A lesson I had learned from Logan. Never turn your back to the enemy, it leads you wide open for mistakes. So as the training of my past mentor raged throughout my body, I crouched low and waited for what I knew was about to happen.

"You well set us free," he whispered again causing shivers to spread across my body in waves.

"Set you free from what?' I asked really curious if I had to say so myself.

"From the Red Queen and her master," he hissed like a snake across the distance between us.

"Jean and Graydon?" I asked hoping to get through to him.

"You will set us free, all of us," he continued to hiss at me.

"Are there more of you?" I asked. Again another lesson Logan taught me. Keep them talking, don't give anything away but get as much information as you can. You never know when it might come in handy.

"Yes…," he hissed as he began to approach me again, "but you will set not just us free but all of humanity."

"From what exactly will I set you free from? From what I can tell I am living pretty decently right now and so is practically everyone else," I told him while I crossed my arms loosening my stance.

"You will see," he said again that whispery voice of his.

"See what?" I pressured further.

"It is your destiny. It was written long ago," he hissed again.

"By who?"

"By destiny," he replied. He was almost on me now. I went back down to my defensive stance again praying that I could outwit him. He wasn't a normal mutant or human, he was something different, something a tad bit more sinister. I knew that without come within skin to skin contact with him I wouldn't stand a chance in hell.

"Yeah well I think I can pick and choose my own destiny," I replied as I waited for him to get closer to me. I couldn't see his face; it was covered by a dark ski looking mask, but I could see the faint outlines of his eyes. They glow a dark crimson that screamed I-just-came-out-of-the-pits-from-hell. I shivered again at the thought of that as well.

He came at me then after my assessment of him. He held a rather long dagger looking object in his left hand as he tried to swipe me with it. I ducked and rolled out of the way and then scrambled back up to my feet. He came back at me this time with an even quicker swiftness than before. His dagger grazed the side of my forearm causing me to hiss out in pain. I reached out to one of the beautifully decorated vases that sat elegantly on one of Xavier's stylish end tables. I made a mental note to apologize to the Professor afterward.

Lifting it up over my head I all but throttled it at my assailant. It hit him square on the face but all he did was falter in his step before advancing on me again. Looking around me for anything I consider viable as a defensive mechanism. All I found was a chair.

Picking it up as the creature advanced upon me I held it out like a lion tamer would a lion. Unfortunately the creature didn't seem nearly as controlled as a lion does in the circus ring and he continued his encroachment. When I felt like he had backed me up far enough I swung the chair to the side and hit him with it for all I was worth, it sent him flying off to my right, but didn't seem to deter him from me. Beginning to freak out slightly at my sudden situation I turned and decided that if I couldn't make it to the panic room without that thing following me I would just head back towards Victor. Making an about face I did the only logical thing I could think off. I ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me back towards the dining hall.

Slipping and sliding over broken glass and jumping over discarded table wear I made it half way through the dining hall before that thing caught up with me. In hide sight I would probably be pretty proud of myself for out running that thing for as long as possible, but right now I felt fear clog my throat.

It grabbed my covered upper arm and all but dragged me the rest of the way through the dining hall. I slipped on the shattered fragments of glass and cut my hands as I fell with a thud to the ground. The creature switched his grip from my arm to my long dark hair and began to literally drag me through the last section of the dining hall. I used my gloved hands to grab at anything to pull myself away from the creature. Unfortunately all I could grab was glass that cut deep into skin and left dark blood trails as I was drug across the stone floor.

Once outside again I could see the small ragging war that seemed to take place in the small space between the mansion and the tree line. The creatures seemed to have almost completely over taken Scott who tried in vain to shoot them as far away from him as possible. Storm hovered above the battle as wind and lightening caused confusion against the ranks of the creatures. Beast seemed to rather be enjoying himself as he leapt into the air and crushed a creature underneath his heavy weight. I searched for the Phoenix but could see her no where in the fighting fray. From what I could gather she probably ditched the party and was already half way home.

But as my eyes landed on Victor all I could do was bask in his combatant glory. He spun, twisted and clawed the darkly dressed creatures as if it were but a toy. At that moment all I wanted to do was get to him and feel the safety that I felt before in his arms. I began to pull against the creatures hold on my hair and did my best to twist my body around so that I give him a good placed kick in the side.

"Let go!" I screamed out as I kicked him.

"You will set us free!" It screeched back as it released its hold on me.

"No!" I replied as I turned back towards Victor.

I began to make another run for it but as I turned to run I felt a sharp pain resonate along my back. I curved my head back a saw the long dagger protruding from my left shoulder blade. Blood had already started to seep from the wound as I felt the all too familiar pain of knives as they sliced through my body like butter.

"Victor!" I screamed out as I staggered forward and fell to my knees.

I could feel the blood running in tiny little rivers down my back already. The creature's footsteps, once so quite, seemed to echo within my head like the tolling of the bells. Nothing seemed to make sense as I felt the creature's hot, rancid breath wash over my forward bent body. I was waiting for the inevitable, the sudden grasp of his claw like hand as it once again pulled against my hair and dragged me towards my death.

But as the darkness started to rain over my mind and the sounds of the night seemed to meld together into one soundless lullaby all I could see before my body lost its battle with the darkness, was Victor's panicked hazel eyes.

**A/N: So yeah I am leaving it there. I had planned on making it longer but decided against it. Oh and next chapter be ready for the ultimate surprise! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and I should have the next chapter up within the next few days or so. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So…okay well here we go again and I hope you enjoy it. This one like I promised to my reviewers will have a special someone in it!**

When I woke up I felt pain resonating through out my whole body. But as my eyes slowly adjusted to the harsh lighting that was normal associated with being in the Med-Lab I felt a wave of sudden relief. Sighing slightly I opened my eyes completely and began to make my self sit up.

"You're awake," Victor's gruff voice came out to me from the chair to my left.

"Barley," I responded as I looked over at him.

He looked ragged and tired. Blood and the grime of war clung to his handsome features like a second skin. His black cotton shirt was now torn in random sections. Smudges of blood stained his skin, a left over from healed wounds.

"You need a shower," I told him.

"You need a kick in the head," he replied to me and I could help but laugh.

"What for?" I asked as I settled back down into the semi comfortable bed.

"Why didn't you listen to me? I told you to go to the panic room."

"I did go to the panic room, but one of those things followed me. It was either lead them back to the fight or let them know where all of those kids were hiding," I said stubbornly.

"As you can already obviously tell I don't give a damn about those kids," he said from his chair.

"Well I give a damn about those kids and if you give a damn about me then you should at least give somewhat of a damn about those kids," I countered.

"That makes absolutely no sense."

"Well it makes absolutely perfect sense to me," I replied to him a smile.

"You're insane you know that?" He said to me with that smile of mine.

"Absolutely," I told him as he stood up from his chair and moved over closer to my bed. He placed careful kisses on my forehead before placing a chaste kiss on my lips. Again we heard another bought of the fake coughing coming from the front of Med-Lab.

I turned to see Jubilee standing there looking more than awkward.

"Hey Jubes," I called out to her.

"Hey Rogue," she said with a smile that light up her whole face, "I am really glad your okay."

"Me too," I told her as I looked from her to Victor and then back to her. I don't think we will ever get another alone moment again like we did at the tree line. Not if the entire residents of the mansion have anything to say about it.

"I know that you're just waking up and stuff but you told me that if I had any really good gossip about some stuff I was supposed to come to you immediately," she began to tell me and I knew she was doing her best to politely tell me she had word about Logan.

"Yes, what did you hear?" I asked as I felt my heart clench up again at the prospect of Logan 's return.

"Well do to the sudden attack on the school and Jean turning into an evil witch from hell the Professor has called for all students previous or other wise to return to the mansion. This includes all teachers and past residents as well," she said without the usual giggly tone that was her norm.

"And that means what exactly sparkler?" Victor asked clearly annoyed at her presence. I think he was more upset over the fact that we couldn't continue to make out. I noticed Jubilee's eyes flicker from Victor to my own. She was waiting for me to give the okay. I predicted she knew Logan would be a touchy subject for the both of us. I nodded my head in okay.

" Logan will be here within the hour," she all but squeaked out to me.

I felt Victor tense at my side. I didn't dare take my eyes off of Jubilee as I felt my heart flip flop in my chest.

"Thank you Jubilee. Is that all?" I asked her with a held breath.

"Yes," she said and with that she turned and left me alone with Victor.

We didn't say anything for a long time as we sat in the Med-Lab turning the information over. Logan would most defiantly freak out knowing Victor was here. Hell he'll probably start killing people once he knows that Victor and I are most defiantly a thing. At that I turned and looked up at Victor. His beautiful jaw was clenched into a hard line. I could smell the faintest hint of blood as his nails dug into the palm of his hands.

"Please don't start anything," I begged after taking in his look. He looked like he was about to commit murder, or worse.

"I am not the one who starts shit with him," he said with a huff.

"Well if I remember correctly it was you who tried to kidnap me last time and nearly killed us with a tree! And let's not forget Liberty Island," I said in complete defense of the party that was not present.

"Ha! That bastard nearly killed me more times that I can count. So I'll say we're even," he told me with folded arms.

I just rolled my eyes at him. He could be such a brat when he wanted to.

"Just please try not to kill each other. We have a funeral tomorrow and my back is still sore as hell and I don't need the extra weight of keeping you two apart," I told him with a frustrated sigh.

I could feel him immediately loosen up as I reiterated to him about my still poor condition. I reached over taking his large hand into my small gloved one. His eyes seemed to fill with a relief I had never seen before in him. I smiled kindly before I spoke to him.

"Victor, I really hope you don't think that my mind changes like the wind."

"I know about your fascination with Wolverine," he replied to me saying Logan's name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Victor honey everyone knows about my past fascination with Logan, except, well Logan," I said with a laugh, "He chose to leave and live out his days pining after a dead woman. So I decided that it was time for me to stop pining after a man that would never love me the way I would always love him."

"You love him?" Victor asked in such an insecure voice I nearly forgot what I was talking about. He never looked more raw in this moment, so stripped of his wall of pain and hatred that I almost didn't want to continue.

"Yes, Logan and I will always have a connection that will never be broken. He is like the father I never truly had," I said with an empathetic smile towards him, "he will always be there to protect me from any real danger. Like I will always be, to him, the family he doesn't remember. We need each other for that. I need him to protect me when the world gets to be too much and he needs me to always just be here whenever he needs someone he can count on." I explained to him. It was hard even for me to have admitted that even though I had loved Logan like no person ever would, I understood that he could never love me as much (and I hoped this was true, if my intuition was indeed correct) as Victor would.

I moved my other hand from my lap and cupped his face with it, forcing his eyes to meet mine. And in that moment I saw for the first time the man, Victor Creed, should have been and could possibly still be.

"I want this," I told him as I removed my hand from his and made a movement in between our two bodies, "I don't want anything else."

I could see his body physically sag in relief and I couldn't help but smile at him.

"If you do this," he began to say, "If we do this, I mean. Than that means you're mine and no one else's. The animal inside of me will not share you with anyone."

I nodded my head. I understood the ramifications of being with Sabertooth. I had, had both Logan and Victor swarming around inside of my head for a very long time now. I understood what it meant to belong to one of them. It wasn't a possessive thing with them, it wasn't ownership over me, and it was baser than that. It meant that I would be with no one else physically like I would with him. Which if you thought about it was just like marriage except you could leave whenever you wanted too and not have to go through a messy divorce.

"I am yours Victor," I whispered to him behind half closed lashes. It was like an ancient bond between us had been sealed. I was his and he was mine. Nothing could break that from us. Nothing.

"Why don't we go upstairs and help clean up?" I asked him trying my very best to lighten up the very serious conversation we had been having.

"No," he said rather forcibly, "I don't want you moving around. Knowing you you'll just hurt yourself and Hank already said you won't let anyone heal you with a borrowed mutation. Apparently it goes against your ethics." He said to me with such a look that I had to suppress a giggle. After nearly killing Logan on several occasions I decided long ago that if I was going to die then I should be left to die. I was afraid that eventually life wouldn't matter as much to me if I knew I could always heal. In some ways I think I am right on that, but in others, not so much.

Victor scooped me up into his arms and began to carry me out of the Med-Lab. I hadn't even realized that I was wearing my favorite sweat pants and sweat shirt. I had a notion that it was complements to Jubilation Lee. I really need to go buy that girl those new Prada shoes she has been dying to buy for the last month. It was the only way I knew how to say thank you for being the best friend a girl could ask for. And I wouldn't mind seeing her squeal like pig in mud when she saw them.

Victor didn't take me back to my room. Instead he carried me bridal style all the way back to his room (By the by I didn't particularly mind). We didn't say a word the entire time we transgressed the distance between the Med-Lab and his room and that was completely fine by me. I was too preoccupied with being held in his arms and smelling that sweet smell that was all his.

He carried me into his room and with as much gentle care as any person would a new born baby he placed me on the still unmade bed of his.

"Victor," I said just above a whisper as our eyes locked in an eternal moment of passionate heat and anticipation. I knew what this could possibly mean. I am still new at this whole being together thing, I mean I only kissed Bobby once in our entire relationship and look how that turned out. Of course Victor and I had done some serious making out but that was beside the point. I didn't know if I was ready for that next step in this relationship.

"Yeah Frail?" he responded in that husky voice of his that sent those silly shivers of mine running up and down my body. He had moved to sit with me on the bed, making the bed dip low when he did so.

"I don't…," I could barely make the words come out of my mouth. I felt so young and naive when I was around him. "I don't think I particularly ready for that step in our relationship just yet."

I could see the glint in his eyes that screamed mischief was afoot. He gave me that smile that was all mines and leaned down to kiss me quickly (all most too quick if you ask me).

"Of course frail," he said with a slightly more evil smile I didn't particularly care for.

"What?" I asked hoping to call him out.

"Nothing," he replied as he leered down at me in an oh-so-sexy sort of way. "Just that I hadn't even considered that portion of our relationship yet, but the idea is very appealing."

I think I turned a crimson color at that. Then the little voice inside of my head made me realize what Victor was really saying. I was a virgin. An untouched thing that had just declared myself his for the taking (at a more appreciate time of course). The Victor inside my head was howling with pure glee at the thought. I couldn't help but shiver again as a mental image of what Victor really wanted to do to me enter my mind. It clearly involved silk sheets and a lot of very thin lacy material that covered my body in a very provocative sort of way.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," I whispered to myself but instantly knew Victor had over heard my silent confession. He gave me that smile again, the one that screamed mischief and prayed to whomever would hear me that I made it out of here without caving into his manly sexiness.

"Go to sleep frail, I'll wake you," he whispered to me as he picked me up by my waist again and moved me to a more comfortable position. He lay behind me, my sweats and long hair creating a perfect barrier between us and my skin. It didn't take too terribly long before I was sound asleep.

When Victor said he would wake me up I had truly expected something else entirely. But the obnoxious banging coming from Victor's door was not something one would or should wake up too.

"I know you're in there you over grown cat!" I heard yelled on the other side of the door.

I knew in that instant exactly who was banging on the door. There was only one person in the mansion (besides myself of course) that would insult Victor Creed in that way. I turned to see Victor; he was just now beginning to wake up himself. His long blonde hair lay like an angels halo around his head.

"Look Logan I really don't think you should be banging on someone's door this early in the morning," I heard the vivacious squeal of Jubilee. I already had a mental image of her small body braced up against the bedroom door trying in vain to make the Wolverine understand that going into this room would not be a good idea.

"Get out of my way yellow before I give the walls a new paint job," Logan hollered out.

"Really Wolvie you should lighten up. Not everything is always gloom and doom. The Professor already explained to you that Victor was here," Jubilee countered. I knew I had waited long enough to answer the door. I don't think Jubilee could hold the fort for much longer.

"I'll get it," I mumbled to Victor as I removed his arm from around my waist. He grunted as I did so but did not protest as I made to answer his door.

"Just make that stupid badger shut up and then come back to bed," Victor called out to me as my hand moved towards the locked door.

"Please behave," I said without turning to look at him.

"Tell that to the badger," he said snuggling back down into the sheets.

I sighed before unlocking the door to answer Logan's unpleasant wake up call. When I had finally opened the door, I don't think Logan was expecting me to behind it at all.

"Good morning Logan, Jubilee," I said coolly, nodding my head to each of them.

"Morning chica," Jubilee said with a brilliant smile and a pop of her bright pink bubble gum. I don't know how the girl can chew gum this early in the morning. "Sleep well?" She asked me and all I could do was glare at her.

"What in the hell Rogue?" Logan said as he stared at me. I probably didn't look all too great. Being stabbed usually did that to you.

"Can I help you?" I asked not allowing my heart to start beating in a flurry that it was usually known to do when in his presence.

"Chuck called," he said as if that summed up everything.

"I know Jubilee told me," I replied nodding my head at the girl at my side.

"They said you got hurt," he said completely distracted by me to not notice the very large, once dangerous mutant lying in the bed I was just occupying.

"Yeah that bitch Phoenix did one hell of a number on all of us," I said looking him straight in the eye. In that moment I felt as if most of this was his fault, even though deep down I knew it wasn't true. If he had just been here, like he had promised me, then he could at least have prevented most of what happened last night.

"What are you doing in here?" He finally asked me as he once again took another sniff of the air. His eyes had seemed to turn to steal, "I smell Sabertooth. He's been in this room."

"I know Logan," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"This is Victor's room," Jubilee stated with another loud pop of her gum.

"What are you doing in here then?" He asked me with a low growl, ignoring Jubilee.

"What does it look like I am doing?" I asked him sarcastically.

"I know what you want to do," Jubilee commented under her breath and I shot her another death glare. I really didn't need her side comments right now.

"Rogue, get rid of the badger and come back to bed," Victor's voice said from behind me and resonated along the walls like the ringing of a fight bell. Logan let out a deep growl before pushing me aside, nearly knocking me on my butt, and marched over to the large bed I had just been occupying.

"Logan! Don't you dare hurt him or touch him in any way!" I screamed out as I righted myself and followed said man to the bed. I could feel Jubilee following behind me.

"He's a murdering, kidnapping psychopath path!" Logan argued with me a long, silver claw pointing at my now boyfriend who only sat up on the bed and gave Logan a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"I could say the same about you too buddy," Victor said with a grin. I once again rolled my eyes. I swear those two will be the death of me.

"Why you son of a-," Logan began before I crawled onto the bed and sat pretty much on Victor's lap with my hands held out towards Logan.

"You will not come into this room and start shit with my boyfriend Logan!" I said with such command he nearly took a step back.

"You're what!?" He screamed out at me as he regained his composure.

"Do you have mud for ears?" Victor asked as he let a possessive hand snake around my waist.

"Man I knew staying up late eating ice cream would so be worth it," Jubilee said from the door way as she watched the spectacle that was Victor, Logan and I.

"Logan its way too early in the morning to be discussing this," I said with a pleading voice. His eyes seem to soften a little as I said it. But turned right back to that hard steal I had seen earlier.

"Out of all the men in the world you picked him," Logan spoke with such defeat I almost felt guilty. I mean was Victor worth my relationship with Logan?

"He's not what you think," I replied to him in a soft voice. I didn't even sound that convincing to myself let alone Logan.

"I bet," Logan countered.

"Everyone in the world called you an animal Logan. But I knew that, that wasn't true. I saw the person that you are. I defended you when you were rude and angry with everyone. I stood up for you when the world was against you. All I am asking is for the same in return. Stand by me when I make decisions in life, even when you don't approve. Because let me tell you I stood up for you when you know damn well I didn't approve," I told him with a pointed finger. He didn't say anything for a long while. We all sat there in silence for what felt like eternity.

"Fine, but you gotta a lot of explaining to do later kid," he said to me before turning, only to stop and give Victor one last warning growl before walking out the door, grabbing Jubilee by the arm and slamming it shut behind him.

"I think that went a lot better than planned," I said with a sigh as I turned in Victor's lap.

He gave me that raised eyebrow thing that I swear is a family trait.

"Oh don't give me that," I huffed out as I fell backwards onto my side of the bed. Victor didn't say a word as he picked up a piece of my long dark hair and began to wind his finger through it.

"I guess we should face the masses. I doubt I'll be able to fall back to sleep after that disaster," I said with another sigh before lifting myself up off the bed.

Victor didn't say a word the entire time I moved from the bed towards the door. He only sat up and looked at me. His hair laid in perfect golden waves down his shoulders. I could see the faint outlines of the hard chiseled muscle underneath his torn and blooded shirt. I almost went against the idea of going back to my room to take a shower. I would much rather lay next to his god like body for the rest of eternity.

"See something you like frail?" He asked me with that stupid eyebrow lift thing he does. I couldn't help let a small laugh escape me. I don't think that line will ever get old.

"Nothin' I haven't seen before," I gave him my reply. It was of course the same one I gave last time. Except this time I tapped the side of my head and let my own mischievous smile spread across my lips.

"Right," he replied before whipping the sheets off of his body and standing up from his position on the bed.

"I'll see you at breakfast," I promised with a wink before whipping out of the room before he could have the chance to lunge at me and drag me back to his bed.

I walked once again with aimless abandonment down the hallways that led back to my own room that I shared with Jubilee. Hundred to one she was sitting, perched on the edge of her bed waiting for my return, like the messiah or something. The girl really had a skewed sense of her priorities.

As I entered the room I was not surprised to see not only Jubilee sitting perched on her bed, but Kitty, John and Bobby too.

"Ain't it a little early to be hosting a slumber party Jubes?" I asked as I went to flop on my own bed. I began to mentally prepare myself for the bombardment of questions that I was sure to come.

"Alright girl," Jubilee began, "spill it."

"I am really, really tired Jubilee. I need a shower and I need food," I said out loud. However inside my head I was mentally whispering my need for Victor's tongue to trail its way up the side of my body.

"Fine," I relented knowing that resistance against Jubilee was futile.

"Are you and Victor Creed like together?" Kitty asked first.

"Yes," I simply replied not looking at any of them, I just stared up at the ceiling.

"Oh. My. God," all four of them said at the same time. I just rolled my eyes.

"What? Like ya'll didn't see it coming a mile away," I huffed out to them. Melodramatics, all of them.

"It's just… He tried to kill you Rogue!" Bobby yelled out. I was wondering when he was going to put his two cents in.

"No, he tried to kidnap me. Those are two totally different things. Death and kidnapping. And anyways it was just a job. Like some of the jobs here we do. We don't like doing them but sometimes we just have to. I mean look at Scott he's killed people before and so has the Professor. Does that make them any better than Victor?" I asked them as I continued to stare up at the ceiling.

"What they did was completely different than what Victor did," Bobby protested.

"Oh so it's okay to kill someone if that person is somehow innately evil? Sorry to burst your hero worshiping bubble Bobby, but killing is evil period, no matter who does it," I said angrily. I don't know when I had sat up and looked at them all. I could definitely tell both Jubilee and John were on my side on this particular issue. Kitty of course did what a good girlfriend should do, she backed him up.

"So you're saying that Victor Creed is just a misunderstood mutant who isn't really demented?" Bobby asked with sarcasm.

"Yes," I replied simply.

"Hell Bobby stop being such a freaking pessimist," Jubilee hissed out to him, "can't you just be happy for Rogue? She's finally found someone who loves her for her and he doesn't even care about her skin thing. And to me if he can put aside his differences to make my girl happy then Victor Creed is my new best buddy."

I swear I could kiss that girl. She was so getting those shoes now.

"Sorry Bobby," John began to speak up. I had been surprised at his silence. He was so opinionated like Jubilee I had expected him to have said something by now, "but Jubilee and Rogue are right. We all came here looking for a second chance in life. I am very disappointed that you would think that because he had a bad past that his future would be just a bleak. Because if you think about it Bobby, I am just like Victor Creed."

I looked at him and knew that what he was talking about still hurt him. I had only absorbed him once and knew exactly what he was talking about. I remember dreaming about that night. The night he killed his father was a night he would never forget. My eyes locked with his as he let the thought of what happen settle over him. He hadn't told a soul before I touched him. No one knew about how he came to live at Xavier's, except well Xavier. We had all just assumed that he was here just like everyone else. We were so stupid then.

"It was self defense John," I whispered to him. He closed his eyes briefly to look away from me. The guilt was apparent on his features.

"Like you said Rogue Killing is an innate evil," John whispered back. I could feel the tension settle over the room. We were talking about something that none of us talked about, period. After he told all of us the first time, he knew then that we would discuss it. We would never speak about what John had or hadn't done before he arrived here.

"Johnny," I heard Jubilee call out, gaining John's attention immediately, "if it's evil and you're going to hell then doesn't that mean you get to play with fire all the time then?"

I could help but hold back the giggle that bubbled up within me. Only Jubilee could spread a little ray of light over any dark situation. I watched as a sparkle of something flickered across John's eyes as his usual cocky smile spread across his lips.

"I guess that would really mean I am going to heaven then wouldn't it?" John asked as he leaned over and kissed Jubilee. She probably was the only woman in the world that could make Pyro smile like there was nothing else in the world but her.

"Bobby I think you're over reacting," Kitty finally voiced to Bobby. I was completely taken aback by it. I think I even blinked a million times before the words reached my brain correctly.

"What?" Bobby asked completely shocked at his girlfriend's betrayal (as small as it was).

"She's happy Bobby and if Victor is the one that makes her so, then we should be happy for her. That means we have to be nicer to Victor as well," Kitty said with that look that said _you-better-not-argue-with-me-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you_.

"Fine, but I am not going to like it," Bobby said dejectedly before flopping backwards onto Jubilees bed.

"Never asked you to like it Robert," I said with a smile.

"Ha-Ha. You're so funny Rogue," Bobby said to the use of his proper first name.

"So I hear Logan didn't take it too well," John said as a wicked smile spread across his face.

"Well he took it a whole hell of a lot better than I thought he would," I said with sigh as I flopped backwards on my own bed and looked up at the ceiling again.

"Yeah I mean at least no one died," Jubilee said with a pop of her gum. I swear I don't know where she gets it all.

"Not yet anyways," Kitty laughed out as she stroked Bobby's hand.

"Thanks, you know you people are the best support system a girl could have. I should really never have to worry about anything again thanks to you guys," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Don't worry girl! We'll always be here," Jubilee said a little to chipper for my taste. I let out a sarcastic groan before sitting up on the bed again.

"Alright everyone I gotta get ready," I said to them. They all gave me that smile that said they knew too much.

"I guess that means she's kicking us out," John said with a sigh before pulling Jubilee up and having her follow him out the door. Bobby and Kitty seemed a little reluctant but eventually left as well.

After I knew that the door was shut firmly behind them I made a mad dash to get ready. Spending so much time away from Victor made my heart feel as if it was on fire. After taking a quick shower, I dressed in jeans and a long sleeved shirt along with my favorite accessory (my gloves) I left without even doing my hair or my makeup.

When I entered the dining hall I was surprised to see that it was almost completely in tack again. Men were already placing up the last of the glass panels for the windows when I arrived. You couldn't even tell that a small battle ensued here not hours ago.

My eyes scanned the scantily occupied dining hall before I found Victor sitting at a table close to the left side of the dining hall. I smiled at him for all I was worth before I practically skipped my over to him. It felt as if nothing horrible happened yesterday or this morning and nothing could ever again as I slipped into his arms and planted a firm kiss on his mouth.

"Good morning Mr. Creed," I said to him as I sat down in the unoccupied chair next to him.

"Someone's in a good mood," he responded with a feral looking grin.

"Depends on what you consider good," I replied with a little lift of my right eyebrow.

He didn't respond and I didn't further the conversation as we ate a light breakfast. A few people trickled in and out of the dining hall. Everyone tired from the nights events. But for some ungodly reason both Victor and I were completely well rested it seemed.

"What do you have planned for the day?" Victor asked me as he sipped his dark coffee.

"Oh you know the usual," I began with a shrug, "fight super villains, have a serious discussion on where my life is going with my father figure, go to a practice that will involve me battling evil robot creatures. So yeah, you know the usual."

He smiled that smile of mine at me and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Ah…the life of an X-Man," he said to me.

"Never a dull moment."

"Here, here."

"When you going to go talk to the badger?" Victor asked as he once again sipped his coffee.

"Logan, his name is Logan," I told him with an evil expression, "and I don't know when. He'll find me eventually today. He's good at that."

Victor like normal didn't give me a retort. He sat there sipping his coffee looking at me. I sighed eventually, our comfortable silence giving me a relaxing moment before the day's chaos would begin.

"Well, we've got practice with the X-Men," I told Victor, "Scott said that since you did such an amazing job yesterday kicking ass that today you would be joining the prestigious training session that only a few will ever have the chance of doing."

"They want me to practice with them?" Victor asked me with a look of disbelief.

"Of course silly," I said as if this was of course the most normal thing in the world. I mean come on we always ask our past enemies to join us when discussing our fighting strategies.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him up from his chair. He followed me with little or no resistance as we made our way down to the danger room for the team practice. We met up with John and Jubilee would also be going us. With the recent attack on the mansion the Professor decided it was high time that the Junior X-Men made their stand with the rest of the team. As we entered the control room where our usual meet ups were held before every practice, we were taken by surprise. It was filled with past, present and future X-Men. I was amazed at the turn out.

As we entered and the door closed behind us, Scott made his way to the forefront of the group. Standing in his X-Men Uniform we were all silenced by his commanding presence. I was happy to see that he hadn't lost it. We really couldn't lose him at this pivotal time.

"Thank you all for coming," he began as speech I knew practically by heart, "I am so glad to see many familiar faces with us today. It will be a pleasure for not only the current X-Men but for the future ones as well to meet the famous people who have helped mutant kind for more than twenty years.

"Today we will be trying to work as a team. A process we have all had a chance to do over the years. But we have never worked as closely together as we will be doing today. Bringing with us the knowledge learned from our past leaders and the young perspective of our current ones, I hope that we will be able to work together to stop a common evil amongst us.

"Losing a member of this team, death or otherwise, has never been an easy issue for any of us. But when we finally are prepared enough to go out and face the ones that left us behind I hope we all will be able to put our differences aside to get the job done. I know I will."

I felt my heart lurch at that. I knew he was talking about Jean and doing everything in his power to not let his emotions slip in front of so many. Victor rubbed my covered arms as he watched me tear up for my friend who, at this time, could not.

"Be strong for him frail," Victor whispered to me and I let a smile slip across my lips.

"Today, like I mentioned we will be doing team work. We will be setting up a futuristic scenario that involves the sentinel program that the current X-Men and Junior X-Men have been working on. This is the best program that we current have available that will allow so many of us to work together and allow us to use are abilities at will. After this I and a few of the past X-Men leaders will be breaking the teams down so that we can work on some hand to hand combat. We have a lot of mutants with us today that do not have offensive powers so we hope to work on strengthening those weaknesses. So good luck and happy training everyone."

Scott finished and everyone went to the locker rooms to change. I hadn't seen so many famous X-Men in place before. It was all but jaw dropping to say the least.

We all began to exit the room. I showed Victor to where the men's locker room was and I went to change in the woman's locker room. My uniform was placed where it always was, hanging in my locker. I noticed some of the older X-Men in the locker room changing into their various uniforms. Polaris wore her green hair down over her matching mask, Petra pulled up her leather pants, Psylocke talked animatedly to Dazzler as they too dressed in the original X-Men uniforms from the late eighties. Even Emma Frost made an appearance dressed her semi-there white ensemble.

It was so weird having them all here together at once. In fifteen minutes we all left the locker room and entered the danger room. The men were already there, dressed and ready for battle. I quickly scanned the area for Victor, he stood off to the left hand side talking to Thunderbird one of the first student of Xavier's.

"Please don't tell me you are dating Sabertooth?" I heard from a voice next to me. I turned to see Emma Frost standing next to Psylocke, both dressed in barely their uniforms.

"Of course I am," I said with a genuine smile as I turned and headed straight for him as I flipped my long hair at the pair. I noticed Victor had turned most of his attention to me as he watched me walk in my leather uniform towards him. I didn't even make it half way there before I was stopped by a large presence.

"We need to talk Rogue," Logan told me as he stood between me and my destination.

"Kind of busy right now Logan," I said as my eyes flicked around him to stare at Victor. Our eyes met and I could see that he was growling in a low menacing kind of way.

"I don't like you see him," Logan said to me as his eyes bore into mine.

"It's not your decision to make. You left two years ago Logan. Two years! I am not some little girl for you to protect anymore. I've grown up and I am sorry that you weren't there to see that," I told him with a rash sort of anger. I began to move around him and continue towards Victor, but I was once again stopped by Logan's large hand grasping my upper arm in a very tight grip.

I didn't even get a chance to turn around to confront him about grabbing me before Victor had his hand around his neck.

"You've got about two seconds to let her go badger," Victor growled out to him. His lips were bared back into a snarl; I could see both of his large white canines.

Logan let me go before turning around with his claws out ready for the attack. I could see the cackles on Victor's back rise up as he crouched into a low defensive position. Both had looks that could kill on their faces.

"You have no right to touch her," Victor growled out as he clenched and unclenched his hands.

"I have every right, she's not yours you big over grown cat," Logan shot back. I looked between the two. Both ready to fight it out till the death. I doubt really that any of this had anything to do with me really. It was all about dominance with these two. I just happened to be the main subject.

"Actually," I said stepping between the two and looking over at Logan. I was trying my best to stop a very unnecessary fight between the two feral mutants. "He does."

Logan stood up abruptly and looked at me as if I had slapped him in the face. His eyes had lost their feral look as he looked at me.

"What? He hasn't-"He began but I cut him off short.

"No and I can't believe you would even suggest that," I said completely shocked that he would even suggest that Victor and I would do that in front of all of these please. I mean come on give me some credit.

"I promised," I said with a smile to Victor, "I belong to him, just as much as he belongs to me. If you hurt him in anyway than you're hurting me just as much."

"I don't like this at all Kid," Logan told me.

"You left us Logan and two years might not seem like a long time to you, but it sure is for the rest of us. I've changed Logan, we all have. I am sorry that me being with Victor upsets you, but you're just going to have to except it," I told him with a sigh before I moved over to take Victor's hand in mine.

"Can we like please stop making public scenes and get on with this practice? We've got super villain ass to kick!" I heard Jubilee say from my right as she let a spray of sparklers float up and down the room. Everyone laughed at her and momentarily forgot about the small bout Victor and Logan had just had.

"You ready to do what you do best?" I asked Victor at my side. He looked down at me before placing a light kiss on my lips and letting that smile of mine spread across his features.

"Wouldn't have considered doing anything else."

And I knew in that moment that we would be just fine.

**A/N: Goodness that was super, super, super long. Oh and also, I apologize for any and all spelling and grammatical errors, this story have not been beta read. I also, did not go over this chapter with a fine tooth comb like I normally try to do so. Next chapter we will pick up in the danger room practice against the sentinels and hopefully move onto a more battle like scene. Of course we will be moving up the love action between the two main characters as well. So please stay tuned. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank so much for all of the wonderful reviews. I am so very sorry that it has taken me so long to update this chapter. But work, school and wedding planning kind of took over for a moment and I really hated the first version of this chapter that I wrote. Anyways, in this chapter I kind of took some liberties that go against what is normally expected when concerning this type of theme in the comic books. So I hope it's not too farfetched. But then again aren't every fan-fiction story? Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy it. **

**---Side note: Thank you gem1990 for being my new beta for this story. It is highly appreciated and I hope you will continue to like my stories. **

Smoke curled lazily up into the evening sky in dark wisps creating a smudge like affect on the setting sun. Wind blew in large gusts along the plains of old New York and tumble weeds that were once so familiar to me in the South danced along the edges of the vacant city streets.

"Mein Gott," Kurt Wagner said at my side. His tale whipped wildly behind me as he starred down into the depths of old New York. I could see him fumbling for his rosary as he began a slow Catholic prayer that hummed gently across the blazing evening wind.

"There be no Dieu, here, mon ami," I heard Gambit's Cajun lit flitter around me as the smell of his cigarette drifted to my nose. I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Only you would know huh? Le Diable Blanc," I said as I turned to him to give him one of my bigger smiles. When Gambit had arrived at the mansion last year (and then left suddenly) he had tried his very best to get past my skin (and men) issues. But in the end he conceded defeat and was now one my closest friends. I mean what girl doesn't want a thief in her back pocket?

"Of course Remy know my little river rat," he replied and then took a drag from his cigarette. I shook my head at the endearing nickname and then continued to look over the terrain. It was all but barren until you got to the heart of the city, what was left of it that is.

"Now remember," Scott's voice boomed across the small landing we occupied, "This simulation is real. This is what we predict will happen to the future if we allow certain events to take place. We have gained this prediction from a precog who witnessed it only a few days ago.

This simulation will not allow you to die, but you will receive minor injuries and will feel pain when you are indeed injured. Also as a side note, if you are captured then you are captured until someone rescues you. Remember this is a real simulation and if you are captured real things will happen to you."

"So in other words don't get captured," I heard Jubilee quip at his side. I couldn't help but let a smile cross my face. That girl could turn any serious situation into a humorous affair.

"Yeah so Jubilee you better stick with Rogue," I heard Bobby call out from somewhere behind a group of some X-Factor team mates.

"Are you implying that I get captured a lot Robert Drake?" she replied to him with her hands on her yellow covered hips.

"A lot would be an understatement yellow," I heard Wolverine state as he grabbed Jubilee by the arm and carried her along with him.

"Logan you suck at defending a woman's honor!" Jubilee screeched as she was led away from the teams. The soft chuckling of the group seemed to lighten everyone's moods before Scott opened his big leader mouth and ruined the moment.

"Alright people, now is not the time to be laughing or making jokes. We have two hours to get inside and stay alive. This is a survival mission. Whoever can survive the next two hours wins. If you are captured or hurt in anyway, you lose. Now be reminded the simulation does not end if everyone is captured. We have two hours in here win or lose. So make the best of it."

"Aye, aye captain," said a chorus of voices. Victor and I turned to see that it was unfortunately the Junior X-Men team.

"One of these days I think Cyke is going to kill them all," I said with a whisper as everyone began to form small recon groups.

"Naw, they'll kill themselves long before one-eye gets the guts to do it himself," Victor said with a smile.

"What a lovely assessment of that situation," I heard Emma Frost's lithe voice say from behind us as she strolled over to Scott's group.

"I hate that woman," I said through clenched teeth as she began to lean suggestively into Scott.

"If it makes you feel any better frail, about half the other women in here hate her too," Victor replied.

"Yes actually, it does. It'll make me killing her and hiding the body a lot easier, especially with all the help I would get," I countered harshly as I tugged on my leather gloves and tucked them into the cuffs of my uniform.

"Simulation begin," Scott's voice said loudly across the vast space before us.

"Stay close," Victor whispered to me and I smiled gently up at him.

"Same to you sugar," I replied with a wink. He just growled low into his throat and crouched low into a stalking stance. I quickly followed suit as our ten different groups ran, flew and in Bobby's case, slid into the heart of New York City .

"It's quiet," Thunderbird said from behind us.

"Too quiet," replied Northstar.

"I have a bad feeling," Northstar's twin sister Aurora stated as she landed next to her brother.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I slowly began to remove a glove.

"There's nothing here," she said just above a whisper, "from overhead I can't see a soul insight, well all but our other teams that is. Not a cat, dog or even a rat, let alone a human."

Thunderbird crouched low to the ground, his hand running over the dirt that now covered a New York City street. Victor took a deep breath smelling the air and then huffed like a horse as he exhaled.

"Still smells like New York without all those gas fumes."

"This dirt has not been disturbed in days. We will have to go further into the city for me to be able find any trace of life," Thunderbird said aloud as he dusted of his dirt covered hands.

"Aurora go fly above us and scout the area, if you find something before us do not engage, come straight back to us and report your findings," Sabertooth commanded. She did not reply as she shot up into the air.

"Northstar and Thunderbird I want both of you to go ahead of Rogue and me and scout the alley ways. I don't want any surprises," Victor told the other two who, like Aurora only nodded as they sped off into the distance.

"And what do you command of me oh fearless leader?" I asked with a fake bow trying to make the nerves that had filled me from the quietness to settle away.

"Stick with me frail, I am not in the mood to come save your ass if you get caught," he said as he moved forward, following the scents of Northstar and Thunderbird.

"Pft, me? Get caught? Nope that never happens," I said mockingly to my former kidnapper now turned, well I don't know exactly what we are. Lover's who don't make love? I don't know.

"Just shut up," Victor growled out not looking at me as we prowled the lower east side of New York City.

The silence of the evening was almost unbearable as we tracked the boys. The buildings that once stood tall and proud now crumbled all around us. I took note of some of the shops that I still shop at with Jubilee and the rest of the X-Girls. It was very depressing to see your home turned to ruin.

"There isn't anything here," Northstar told us as he stopped abruptly in front of us. I was slightly startled at his sudden presence.

"Not yet anyways," Aurora said as she settled down next to her brother, "we've got a nice sentinel storage building about half a dozen blocks west of here and it's heavily guarded."

"Of course it is," I said with a sigh.

"It's also guarded by mutants," she said with a look towards me.

"What?" I asked, taken aback with surprise.

"Looks like Magneto finally got what he wanted," Northstar said more to his sister than to us, "mutant domination."

"But at what cost brother?" she asked him with a perfectly raised white eyebrow.

"I nominate we kidnap a guard and get the low down on this reality," I said throwing my thumb over my shoulder.

"I agree with Rogue," Thunderbird agreed.

"It is the most logical way," Aurora retorted.

"Fine Rogue, go get your guard, Aurora and Northstar got with her. Thunderbird and I will set up shop in an old building two clicks east near the old subway station," Victor explained to us.

"Sounds like an excellent idea captain," I said with a mock salute. He just rolled his eyes as Aurora lifted me up into the air. Northstar followed us on foot at near lightening speed.

"How many guards guard the parameter?" I asked her as we passed the X-Men's favorite pizza joint. The roof was torn off and barely anything was left inside.

"Thirty. It won't be hard to pick one up and not be noticed," she replied as we landed about half a block away from the gated fencing.

Northstar was already waiting for us at the corner of the street. He was leaning up against a lamp post that was barely holding its self together.

"Alright Rogue you're up," Northstar whispered to me as I landed next to him.

"Northstar you'll have to carry the body so you'll need to be close to me," I said to him as we began to move towards the first guard in sight. Aurora immediately took for the air again, using the shadows to hide her floating figure.

We found a brunette man and blonde woman in what appeared to be guard uniforms scouting out the parameter of the fencing. Both were talking in low whispers and didn't even notice our approach.

"Two for one?" Northstar asked me and I nodded. Two could give us a lot more information that just one. I removed my gloves and tucked into my back pocket.

Slowly and carefully I crept up on the two unsuspecting people. It wasn't until I was nearly on top of them that I realized how young they really were. They couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen years old. But it didn't matter, this was a mission.

I carefully placed my hands on both the children's necks and hoped to feel their power drain into me, but nothing happened. Both turned to face me immediately and I felt panic rise inside of me.

They both looked at me in confusion. I on the other hand looked like a rabbit stuck in the head lights of an oncoming vehicle.

"Commander what are you doing?" The boy asked me in confusion. But when he looked at me I was left in shock.

He stood tall and strong against the burning sun in the distance his beautiful hazel eyes and sun tanned skin where stunning in the evening sky and a long white streak of white hair framed his strong face. I turned to look at the girl; she had blond hair that flowed down past her waist and tanned skin like her brothers and eyes that were a brilliant shade of green.

"Really Dog don't call her that," the girl said annoyed as if i wasn't really there and I straightened back up a little at the name. _Dog _not many people I know carry that title.

"She likes being called that Victoria, right commander?" The boy, Dog asked me and I only nodded my head. I was completely lost here.

"Well I am sorry," the girl said to me, "but I refuse to call you commander mother. It just doesn't sound right."

"Wait what?" I finally said in confusion at what she just addressed me as.

"Hey did you touch dad or something?" Dog asked me and I only shook my head.

"What are you talking about Dog?" Victoria asked her brother in obvious agitation.

"Her mark is gone," Dog said as he reached out a hand to touch my face. I of course immediately flinched back in surprise.

"Vicky I think we have a problem," Dog said as he raised his laser gun up at me.

"I am beginning to see your point brother," she responded as her body began to bow up in anticipation.

But before either could move or say another word they were hit upside the head with a large lamp pole. Complements of Northstar of course.

"What's the holdup love?" He asked me as he hoisted the unconscious pair on to his shoulders.

"My power doesn't work on them," I said meekly as Aurora landed next to me.

"We will discuss it at the rendezvous location," she said as she hosted me up into the air and flew us to the meeting location.

Victor was already waiting for us outside the building when we got back. His arms were crossed tightly over his broad chest and he had a very unpleasant look on his face.

"Rogue I thought I said one guard not two," he said to me as Northstar carried the two inside the barely standing building.

"Trust me we want these two," Northstar said in my defense. Victor just gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Apparently," I said walking up to Victor and planting a kiss on his cheek, "these are my children."

"Really?" he asked me with a skeptical look.

"Yeah and you want to know the funny thing," I said in mock idiocy, "the girl Victoria who also goes by the nickname Vicky calls the boy Dog. I mean what are the odd chances in that Victor? My future children carrying names like Vicky and Dog."

"Are you implying that they are our children Rogue?" he asked me with an even higher raised eyebrow.

"I think it's rather obvious, yes?" I said with a smile.

Victor didn't respond to me as my futuristic-non-existent-children woke up. (**A/N: This is what my fiancé and I call our future children when we are discussing future plans). **They both groaned and sat up.

"Who are you?" The girl asked first as she rubbed the sore spot on the back of her head.

"You know who we are. What we want to know is who you are," Victor said as menacingly as possible.

"Pft, please dad you know that stuff doesn't work on us," The girl said with a grin.

"See told you," I hissed out with a smile as I crossed my arms to look at the girl who would be my daughter.

"Answer the question," Victor said as he starred at the two. They turned to look at one another as if to have some sort of telepathic conversation before either answered.

"I am Dog Logan Creed, currently an Omega imperial guard. This is my sister Victoria Anna Creed, also an Omega imperial guard. You are our parents one Anna-Marie "Rogue" Creed and one Dog Victor "Sabertooth" Creed you are both the leading Alpha's of the Eastern Sanction of the New World Order," Dog said as if this was something he had learned by heart.

"Okay well we are not your parents," Victor said in agitation.

"Yet anyways," I said with a soft smile. I was really too pleased with these events. I was going to have children hopefully one day and both would be immune to my skin.

"Do either of you know how all of this came to be?" Aurora asked.

"What do you mean?" Dog asked standing up from his position on the floor.

"This world of course, we must find out what set these events into motion so that we can put a stop to it," She replied a little more obviously than I would have liked. The two looked at us in confusion and then back to Victor and I.

"Our brother did it," Victoria told us with a sigh, "Him and his Dark Queen the Phoenix . We were supposed to be the next generation. A pure generation that is purely mutant and unstoppable. But the serum that they injected mother with when she got pregnant with us not what it was supposed to be."

"No it was worse, the Legacy Virus" Dog spat out as he picked up where his sister left off, "it mutated with mother's DNA. The serum transformed her mutation into a poison that spread across the continent, nearly killing everyone."

"What!" I screamed out in horror.

"When you touched someone instead of sucking out their life force like normal, you instead left them infected with the virus. You also however like normal would gain their mutation," Victoria explained.

"You also never lost the powers you gained either. It of course made you one of the most powerful mutants on the planet," Dog started off, "But after we were born Graydon or Apocalypse as he's calling himself now, discovered that Dad's mutation mixed with the serum created an antidote. This of course made Victoria and I Apocalypse's favorite siblings."

"What do you mean by favorite?" Thunderbird asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well besides a few clones of us we have another sister named Morgan, she's about five now. She lives underground with the resistance along with our other two brother's Jacob and Jasper. They are twins as well about twelve or thirteen now. We don't see them often," Victoria explained a little sadly.

"There are five of you?" I asked confused and a little overwhelmed.

"For now, there used to be eight but the other three died," Dog said sadly as he looked away from us.

"What happened to them?" I asked in earnest more curious now about the lives of my future children than of the mission.

"Hannah, didn't receive the immunity to the Legacy Virus like the rest of us did, she died before her second birthday. Charlie and Maggie both died on the battle fields," Victoria explained with a shutter.

"After Charlie and Maggie you started sending the other's underground. Victoria and I were already in the spotlight. There's nothing you can really do to save us. But Apocalypse really doesn't pay much attention to what goes on here anymore so you've been giving the kids to Uncle Logan and Auntie Ro. It's safer for them that way," Dog said with a sigh.

"Eight kids…" Victor said in shock, "and I give most of them over to that badger."

"Five, Sabertooth, the other's aren't here anymore," I respond as I sit down on an over turned barrel.

"Dog, Victoria, Charlie, Maggie, Hannah, Jasper, Jacob and baby Morgan," Dog said in birth order.

"Do you know where the resistance is now?" Thunderbird asked.

"Of course! We're not imperials for nothing you know," Victoria said as she stood up and made to stand next to her brother.

"Then where?" Northstar asked in agitation. They both smiled a similar smile.

"The subways of course," Dog said with his father's smile, "the fastest way to get around New York."

**A/N: So how was it? To farfetched to be believable? I hope not. This chapter kind of outlines the rest of the story and how different characters will be involved within it. So again I hope you enjoy it. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I know it's been forever and please forgive me for my lateness and absence. I just needed a break from this story momentarily. I was slowly getting to far fetched in my thinking and needed to reassess were this story was headed. In order to do that I needed to write something else and read other fiction to get my mind off of this particular story. Once I had forgotten my plot completely I re-read the entire story and knew where my story needed to head off to next. So after fifteen re-writes (and I am not kidding on that part) I have come up with this little piece and hope it will be satisfactory to all of my readers. If not you have my permission to scream and yell at me until I correct it. **

We never made it to the underground subway station to meet the resistance. In fact we never even made it out of the building before half of the Eastern wall was taken out by sentinels. It was as if the entire sentinel army had honed into our location and was patiently waiting out side to capture us. My mind automatically wondered over to the children we had captured only a handful of minutes earlier. But to my astonishment I realized that they had undoubtedly escaped through the now open Eastern wall.

"When I tell you to run frail you better listen to me this time," Victor called out to me as the floor quaked from the metal giant's movements from outside.

"I won't leave you," I responded as I gripped his arm for balance.

"Don't be stupid. You heard Summer's, this is a live simulation Rogue. I can't let them take you," he all but yelled at me as we stubbornly looked at one another.

"I am not being stupid Victor; you're the one who is deaf. I told you once and I'll tell you again. I. AM. NOT. LEAVING. YOU. BEHIND," I said firmly as I turned from him to watch as both Aurora and Northstar started their offensive attack on the sentinels.

We all knew it was pointless for our team to be trying to fight them off. None of us really had any offensive powers. Combined we only had speed and strength which was practically useless against these unmovable beings. Where was Scott or Logan when you needed them?

I held my breath as I waited to see what would occur. I knew we were all X-Men and X-Men don't go down without a fight, but I don't think I was willing to see my friends harmed in this simulation.

"Victor we're not going to win this fight," I told him matter-a-factly as we watched Thunderbird descend upon the group of metal warriors.

"Never said we were frail," he replied before he reared up next to me and began attacking along side Thunderbird. I sighed to my self as I picked up a gun from my holster and began to walk, gun pointed, at the nearest sentinel.

I let my first round of bullets enter the left leg of my opponent and with dismay I watched as it didn't even slow him down. Victor was on the bullet laden leg as soon as the last bullet entered the behemoth and I quickly reloaded my gun without a second thought.

I pointed my Glock 17 at the left leg again, waiting for an opening, and took the shot. With Victor's weight and the combined loss of strength caused by my weapon the first sentinel was brought down to its preverbal knees.

I inwardly cheered as Aurora and Northstar removed the sentinels head with practiced ease. One down six more to go and I don't think I brought that many clips with me. I doubled checked and swore under my breath, I only had three left.

"We're losing ground," Victor said to me as Aurora and Northstar began the same assault on another sentinel.

"Really?" I asked, "Who would have thought?"

"Your really are a smartass you know that?" Victor huffed out and I smiled as I reloaded my gun in the process.

"Only the best for you sugar," I quipped before lifting my gun up behind him to unload another round into a sentinel leg. "You're up."

Then he was gone taking on another sentinel as I reloaded my gun for a third time. Thunderbird was off trying to confuse the other four sentinels as we worked on the one. It was a slow process and Victor was right, we are losing ground.

It was during my concentration on disarming the second sentinel that another one decided to abandon capturing Thunderbird and made his way over to the four of us. Paying no attention to my surroundings I didn't even notice the thirteen story metal block approach me until I heard the warning cry from Victor.

"Rogue!" He hollered out to me as he stopped his attack and made a full run towards me.

He didn't make it fifteen feet before a large, cold hand snaked its way around my waist and hoisted me into the air. I felt the air within me come out as my stomach did a flip flop. I felt like I was on a roller coaster and my stomach and my heart had mixed and had become one. I began to struggle against the metal hands of my captor but knew in the end it was futile.

"Victor!" I screamed out as I fought and shot the hand that held me with my Glock.

Nothing came of it as I was unceremoniously dropped into a holding compartment inside the beast. I landed with a large umph into the belly of the beast and waited in the dark for what felt like eternity. Eventually I was surprised to see Victor not minutes later landing rather close to me.

"Hello sugar," I said with a cheeky smile.

"I told you, you should have just run when you had the chance," Victor grumbled out as we waited for the others to join us. We both knew they wouldn't last long out side with four sentinels.

"Where's the fun in that?" I asked sarcastically as both Norhtstar and Thunderbird were dropped in another compartment away from us. It was only moments later that Aurora followed behind her brother.

"Well that went well," Northstar quipped as we all readjusted our selves as the sentinels began to move again.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" I asked Victor in the dark. His eyes glowed an eerie green color like a predator in the night stalking its prey. It gave me shivers.

"To whatever holding facility they have for renegade mutants _Cherie_," Northstar answered and I couldn't help but sigh in content. Mutant prison. It seemed no matter what the future held for us there was always a mutant prison.

We didn't get very far before we were all dropped into large containment cells. Victor and I were placed together, Aurora, Northstar and Thunderbird in one across the way from us and as I poked my head slightly out of the bars I realized we weren't the only ones. Bobby and Kitty sat nursing minor injuries in a cell next to our teammates and at the end of the cell block sat Hank and Gambit.

"I never thought I would see the day," I called out to Hank and Gambit who looked up in curiosity. A smile played delightfully across the Cajun's lips.

"What do ya mean _Chere_?" Gambit asked as he flipped another card through his fingers with practiced ease.

"Never thought I would see you in a cell so quickly Gambit. I think you might be loosing your touch," I called out. I could see his eyes burn with mischief.

"Gambit never gets caught for real _Chere_. Remy just bidding his time until a better opportunity presents it's self," Gambit cooed as he moved to shuffle a deck of cards instead.

"Hank how long has Gambit been in here?" I asked the blue professor.

"Oh Mr. LeBeau has been in here for about an hour and a half. He got him self captured trying to break into the main building," Hank replied as he hung upside down from the ceiling watching Gambit's display like an anthropology study.

"You've been here the entire time!" I called out in disbelief. "Where's Jubilee when ya need her?"

"Ah _Chere_ ya wound me!" Gambit dramatized with a clenched fist over his heart.

"When we get out of here I promise to tell her you were the first to get captured," I called back with a laugh. All I heard from the cell was a clicking noise and the faint shuffle of cards in response.

I sighed in contempt and moved back towards were Victor sat waiting patiently for something to occur. Plopping down next to him I couldn't help but smile.

"See Gambit's been here for nearly the entire time and nothing's happened to him. We're in the clear! We'll just sit back and relax and wait for another half hour for the simulation to end and we're good to go," I stated as I leaned back on my hands watching with his pure delight.

"A lot can happen in thirty minutes," Victor reminded me dragging my slightly good mood back down under.

We didn't say anything in a long while just sat and listened to the other occupants. Eventually we were joined by Scott's entire Team and a few stragglers here and there but for the most part nothing exciting really occurred. Until the door at the far end of the holding cell was opened and group of figures came marching down the hallway.

Victor and I both shot our heads up from our positions and moved towards the bars. I reached the bars first but was quickly grabbed by my arm in a grip that brought memories back to my mind of being on a boat on the cold icy New York water. I looked up into Victor's near black eyes as he pushed me behind him and away from the bars. I felt the fear that he felt when he was captured the last time. The fear of being trapped and used up like your were nothing more than an animal.

I realized rather quickly that many of the people coming down the hallway were people of the imperial guard. All the people were dressed in a fine armor of blue, yellow and green. Each person was an obvious mutant. All of them I figured where Omega's.

In the center of the group where two figures dressed in rich, finely pressed uniforms not unlike those of the imperials. And when I looked into the faces of those two I was astonished. A man and a woman with such regality about them it made you bend slightly at the knee on impulse. Both radiated power and prestige like no other I have ever met.

The guards moved away as the figures stopped in front of Victor and mines cell. It was then that I realized who I was looking at, at who the regality and prestige belonged to.

"Hello Marie."

**A/N: I am leaving it there another chapter to come up soon. You can now follow me on twitter: ****/CoupFatal**** for up to date updates about me and my stories. You can also check my profile to find this link or you can just look me up as well. **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Alright next chapter…. Nothing new found out really. This is just some in between chapter that doesn't really mean anything important. Next chapter we'll have some Victor and Rogue moments (since we haven't had any in a while). So I hope you enjoy this. **

"I don't understand," I asked as Victor and I stared at our futuristic selves in astonishment.

"Neither do I," The woman spoke. "I had hoped you could better explain to me why twenty years worth of dead X-Men are trying to get into my home and are destroying my sentinels."

"Dead?" Gambit asked from his cell down the isle. His head poked half way out of the bars like a shocked child. It would be funny; I am sure, under different circumstance. Future Rogue turned to look at him and gave him a sad sort of smile. I knew before she spoke what that smile entailed.

"Yes, unfortunately, like many of you, Gambit died during the Great Crusade. You tried to save my third daughter Margaret from her guardian Jubilee. Jubilee apparently betrayed us in the end and had joined The Resistance Force, her finale act was to try and kill my daughter as a way to weaken me. In the end however you triumphed and killed her before her blade harmed Margaret. But not before both of you were taken down by Pyro," Future-Me replied. I felt my heart stop at the words. Jubilee and me enemies? I could never presuppose something so preposterous in my life.

I watched as Future Victor tugged on the edge of her clothing, a small jester that few wouldn't notice but being unable to touch for such a long period of time one begins to notice small things like that.

"It was a brave act and one that will always be remembered by your people and especially by your leader. We even erected a statue of the two of you in memory of what occurred," She explained to him. Her face pulled back into that tight authoritarian look I had seen in photographs of dead Queens and Kings of times long gone.

"Gambit was never one to be brave _mon petite river rat_," Remy replied to her with familiar ease. The older me allowed the corner of her mouth to twitch upward before responding.

"Love can do amazing things even to a swap rat like your self," She answered before turning back to face me and Victor. I could tell she was deliberately ignoring the rest of the X-Men, the rest of her dead family that now sat silently in her cells below her magnificent home.

"We're trying to figure out how to stop this from happening," I announced and I could hear Scott grumble from his cell next to mine as I divulged the information.

"Stop what from happening?" Future-Me asked.

"Stop your present from becoming my future," I answered truthfully to her.

"This is our destiny Rogue. This is our right as being the most powerful mutant on the planet. We are here to protect and to serve our step-son and his chosen mate Phoenix. We can not fight what we are meant to do. We will lead great battles and free mutants from human oppression. We will be elite among the rest," She answered like a mantra, rehearsed and retold multiple times over the years.

"You aren't free," I told her with a shake of my head, "you've become Graydon and Jean's lapdog. You only killed off the humans so that another mutant could subjugate you like the humans did. This isn't freedom Marie this is captivity. Sabertooth and Rogue can never be tamed or held captive. You know that and so do they. They fear you and can't figure out what to do with you."

"We live by our own means. We are not subjugated as you so call it. We have a home, a life, and children more than what most have. We have won many battles and have survived the Culling and the Great Crusade," She responded in that calculated tone.

"A home that is watched by Graydon's people, a life ruled by Jean Fucking Gray and for your children. Three are dead and three more don't even live here anymore. They live with The Resistance, hidden away under New York City streets waiting to hone there skills to kill off the people you consider your family. And lets not talk about Victoria and Dog because those two are so fucked up that no one will be able to save them," I stated with a harshness I rarely use.

"So then you know of the sacrifices we have made in order to give the people, the people of the New World happiness," Rogue responded to me with that same look of regality.

"I don't think we ever really thought of children as sacrifices especially our own. Or don't you remember when we believed that we would never be able to love or have a child to call our own?" I asked her pulling on her heart strings as much as necessary.

"People change Rogue," she replied her back straightening as my words floated over her.

"No Marie, they don't," I reply to her. We don't say anything for a moment; we just stare at one another. Her looking at me as she remembers life before the Culling's and Great Crusade. And I look upon her with a fear of what can and will become.

"Let me at least try," I tell her in a whisper.

"If you could ever make that happen I…," She stopped unable to finish her sentence, a tear seemed to fall like a promise, as her frame wavered and then eventually disappeared all together.

We were left standing, scattered about the Danger Room as if nothing had just occurred. I didn't move from my spot for a long while. The image of me in my future scared me more than anything else. When I finally came back to myself I realized I wasn't the only one. Victor stood away from his brow creased as he thought through the events and Gambit stood staring at the ground as if his world had just ended.

"So what did you find out?" Jubilee asked as she all but skipped towards us with a loud pop of her bright pink bubble gum.

"We're all going to die," Kitty Pryde called out mournfully from her seated position next to Bobby who looked just as shell shocked as she was.

"Great, do we know how?" Jubilee asked as her head moved from one person to another in complete ignorance. My eyes drifted over to Gambit, our eyes lock at the knowledge that we both share. No one speaks. No one has the heart to.

"It's irrelevant," Scott states as we all nod in agreement. I can still feel Jubilee's eyes on me however as we all blatantly lie to her.

I mean how do you tell your best friend that in a futuristic simulation designed by a Precog that she will try to kill your child and Gambit will kill her in return? How do you tell her that her boyfriend, who is my friend too, will eventually kill my daughter and our friend Gambit? I'll tell you how. You don't. You lie through your teeth until she completely forgets this entire mess. You don't tell anyone. No one does.

"So we've discovered that in the future Rogue will be the main target," Bobby filled in the silence and I thanked whatever deity that was listening as we finally moved on with the conversation.

"Yeah I am starting to notice that happens a lot," I sarcastically reminded everyone as Victor laid his large hand on my shoulder. He squeezed it slightly and I relaxed into it.

"Yes, your ability to attract danger seems to almost question you having a secondary mutation Rogue," Hank quipped and everyone let out a small string of light laughter. I rolled my eyes at the insinuation.

"So all we got to do is keep Rogue away from Jean and Graydon. That doesn't so too hard," Kitty ascertained.

"We still need to find them Kitty-Cat," John replied with a swift click of his lighter.

"So let's go find them," said Jubilee with a loud pop of her gum.

"Easier said than done," Wolverine growled out as his eyes watched Victor and me carefully, as if he was waiting for any excuse to pounces on us.

All I could do was let out a heavy breath in agreement. Finding Jean and Graydon was going to be like finding a needle in a hay stack. A lot of time and a lot of man power.

I only hope we can find them before something terrible happens.


End file.
